- A380 Extravaganza: Introduction
- A380 Extravaganza: Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge San Francisco
- A380 Extravaganza: Singapore Airlines Suites Class San Francisco to Hong Kong
- A380 Extravaganza: Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge Hong Kong
- A380 Extravaganza: Singapore Airlines Suites Class Hong Kong to Singapore
- A380 Extravaganza: Conrad Singapore
- A380 Extravaganza: Shangri-La Singapore
- A380 Extravaganza: Skyview Lounge Singapore
- A380 Extravaganza: Cathay Pacific Business Class Singapore to Colombo
- A380 Extravaganza: Araliya Lounge Colombo
- A380 Extravaganza: Cathay Pacific Business Class Colombo to Singapore
- A380 Extravaganza: Emirates Lounge Singapore
- A380 Extravaganza: Emirates First Class Singapore to Dubai
- A380 Extravaganza: Park Hyatt Dubai
- A380 Extravaganza: Emirates First Class Lounge Dubai
- A380 Extravaganza: Emirates First Class Dubai to London Heathrow
- A380 Extravaganza: Coworth Park London (Ascot)
- A380 Extravaganza: British Airways Concorde Room London Heathrow
- A380 Extravaganza: British Airways First Class London Heathrow to Seattle
Up front I should say that I shared a brief recap of my check-in and lounge experience in this post.
We (my friend that would be doing the return portion of the trip with me had arrived earlier in the day from San Francisco on SQ1) took a taxi to the airport and arrived shortly after 7PM, about two hours ahead of our scheduled departure.
Terminal exterior
Cathay Pacific flies out of terminal one in Singapore, and we easily found their check-in counter.
Terminal one check-in
Cathay Pacific check-in
There was no queue for business class, and we were promptly helped by the agent, who asked us where we were headed. We explained we were going to Colombo (though keep in mind we were turning straight around back to Singapore), and then the conversation went something like this:
Agent: “Do you have a visa for Sri Lanka?”
Me: “No, I’m just a transit passenger.”
Agent: “Where are you continuing to?”
Me: “Singapore on CX710.”
Agent: “But… but… we’re in Singapore. You mean you’re flying right back?”
Me: “Yes, I’m just flying there and right back.”
Agent: “So you’re flying Singapore to Colombo to Singapore to Colombo to Singapore?”
Me: “No, just from Singapore to Colombo and then back to Singapore.”
At this point she asks for our itinerary, which I present to her.
The agents at Cathay Pacific in Singapore seem to have the same table system as Macaroni Grill, as she started scribbling down some notes on her paper “tablecloth.” She wrote down the flight number, which was surrounded by such insightful notes as “17+2=19,” “always smile,” and “change seats.” I’m sure she’s actually a theoretical physicist and there was much more to her scribbling than meets the eye.
Oddly (given how many flights they have to Singapore) Cathay Pacific uses a contract lounge, the Skyview Lounge just past immigration in terminal one up an escalator.
Terminal one airside
Escalator to lounge
Even though it’s a contract lounge Cathay Pacific does have a dedicated agent, so she “processed” our check-in.
The lounge itself was extremely crowded, or so I thought. It featured several partitioned off seating areas with a few workstations as well.
Skyview lounge
Skyview lounge
Skyview lounge
Skyview lounge
Skyview lounge
The food spread was what you’d expect from a contract lounge in Asia. It featured some packaged candy and wrapped finger sandwiches, as well as a handful of hot dishes including pasta, spring rolls, etc.
Spread
Spread
Later on I discovered that a good two thirds of the lounge was actually up a staircase and in a room with no windows. The only way to know this is to walk to the very end of the lounge where there’s a small sign indicating that there’s more seating up upstairs. Go figure we sat in the crowded main level seating area the whole time, and only discovered this empty section about five minutes before it was time to leave.
Other part of the lounge
Other part of the lounge
Other part of the lounge
Classy dispensers
Anyway, about halfway through our stay in the lounge we wanted to request the boarding passes for our return flight, given that Cathay Pacific doesn’t have a transfer desk in Colombo.
I tried to dumb down things as much as possible, so handed the Cathay Pacific agent my boarding pass and said “excuse me, I have a connection on CX710 out of Colombo tonight, would you be able to check me in for that and print my boarding pass?”
She typed in her computer for a second and said “CX710? That flight is to Singapore, are you sure about the flight number?”
I explained we were doing a direct turn and that there was no transfer desk in Colombo, so she picked up the phone to explain the situation. “He said there’s no desk in Colombo, and I don’t know what that means.”
She kept typing and then managed to check us in, though couldn’t print the boarding pass. She thought it was the printer, so got on her hands and knees and started banging against it as hard as she could, thinking that would do the trick.
No such luck, unfortunately. At this point we had 20 minutes till departure, and Cathay Pacific closes their gates 10 minutes before departure (and this isn’t factoring in that security is at each individual gate). She ran with us to the transfer desk, where she (in utter confusion) tried to explain to the agent what was going on. With about 10 minutes till departure time our boarding passes printed.
To the transfer desk!
To the gate!
She ran us to the gate, and we made it aboard with our return boarding passes with no time to spare.
Departure gate
Our plane to Colombo
The lounge is actually operated by dnata and Cathay Pacific together.
Those who are doing quick turn (less than an hour) around in CMB definitely would be better of to try and pick up their return boarding pass prior to arriving in CMB. Although I've had good and helpful service while transiting in CMB, the agents in the transfer desks have to phone in your check-in down to the agents at the ticketing level and then they have to personally pick up the boarding pass for you which could take quite some time.
@BrewerSEA
what did you do in BKK for 36 hours? is there a tour guide you'd recommend for my 15 hr layover there?
Thank you.
@concorde02
Yep, the ticket was not reissued (and in fact AA.com still showed my reservation on the later flight until that evening).
@jetlagshelby
This is due to the construction that has been going on at the QF SIN lounge for some time now. They were building a new F lounge, so closed most of the old F lounge with a small portion remaining open as a lounge for Jetstar Business pax and oneworld...
@concorde02
Yep, the ticket was not reissued (and in fact AA.com still showed my reservation on the later flight until that evening).
@jetlagshelby
This is due to the construction that has been going on at the QF SIN lounge for some time now. They were building a new F lounge, so closed most of the old F lounge with a small portion remaining open as a lounge for Jetstar Business pax and oneworld sapphires in economy. The old business lounge was rebranded as a "First" lounge, but is open to all oneworld first AND business class pax (along with OWE). No idea what the plans are for the lounge considering the Kangaroo route flights are moving to DXB.
@lucky - no i wish. Just went to see if they would admit me to the QF biz lounge (was flying cx biz to hkg-cdg) and they pointed me away from the biz lounge and into the QF 1st lounge. awesome
@ Jetlagshelby -- Are you a OneWorld Emerald member maybe?
@ Simon -- Yes.
@ Tom -- I took the pictures at the end of my stay, when the lounge was much emptier after several departures.
@ oneeyejack -- Well I knew I could go landside to the check-in counter, but that would have been complicated.
@ wwk5d -- Actually didn't have a chance to visit them.
@simon I was flying biz
The lounge doesn't seem all that busy... no doubt you took the photos later on
I actually thought this lounge was quite decent for tarmac views during daytime hours when we were there prior to a KLM flight to DPS. The nighttime photos really lose that value. Its the provided lounge for Skyteam T1 pax.
BrewerSEA, so if the airlines moves you and your connecting time is >24 hrs, wouldn't it become illegal connection for ow award? or it is ok since the operating airlines changes it and no need for reissuing the ticket?
I think I got my answer:
http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/qantas-club-lounge-access/global/en#class
International First oneworld customers
Next onward flight that day must be on a oneworld operated and marketed flight#.
One guest allowed. Must be travelling on a oneworld operated and marketed flight#
there must be another way to get your boarding passes printed at CMB? even if you are just transiting...
If only clubs in the US could be so nice. ;)
You mention that the lounge was "extremely crowded." Neither the main lounge, nor second part of the lounge, look extremely crowded. On both the main open level and upstairs, the vast majority of seats were empty.
Last time I stopped at this lounge, I too found the CX rep to be very helpful.
Can one access the Qantas First Class lounge if flying CX First?
Last time I was flying Cathay out of sing I actually used the qantas lounge and for some strange reason wasn't admitted to the qantas business lounge but was directed into the qantas first lounge. Strange how those things work some times
How were the bathrooms?
Also, while it looks like a decent lounge, the workstations don't seem to offer much privacy...
I'm doing a BKK-CMB-BKK direct turn on CX tonight, but will just head to the transit counter in CMB ;)
One interesting thing: I booked a 23 hour connection (AAward) in BKK on the way to CMB so I could see Flosstradamus play at a club, which gave me a whole day in HKG that I didn't really want to spend in HKG. CX asked no questions about moving me to a much earlier flight,...
I'm doing a BKK-CMB-BKK direct turn on CX tonight, but will just head to the transit counter in CMB ;)
One interesting thing: I booked a 23 hour connection (AAward) in BKK on the way to CMB so I could see Flosstradamus play at a club, which gave me a whole day in HKG that I didn't really want to spend in HKG. CX asked no questions about moving me to a much earlier flight, giving me 36 hours in BKK. So much for no >24hr stopovers on AP awards outside of North America!