From: Singapore, SIN (WSSS) 02L
ETD: 0830hrs
ATD: 0840hrs
To: Hong Kong, HKG (VHHH) 07L
ETA: 1215hrs
ATA: 1220hrs
Made a short trip to Hong Kong over the weekend to shop & eat.
Reached at the Terminal 3 at 6.15am. Check in was smooth at the Star Alliance Gold counters and the boarding pass was issued with no complications in less than 3 minutes. If only other airports could do the same. Cleared immigration and wandered around the Departure area.
Terminal 3 is in a world of it’s own. The design and aesthetics makes one feel calm & comfortable when travelling removing any tension. Didn’t take any photos this time round but here are some of the photos I took during the open house.
Boarding gate was B6. Seemed like a full flight to me with the constant flow of passengers clearing security. Changi Airport seems to have one of the most sensitive scanners in the world, a slight bit of metal on you and the alarm sounds.
Boarding was quick and we push back 10 minutes late and after a quick taxi to 02L we were airborne. Those RR Trent 892s are loud!
The economy section looks tired compared to the colours on the 77W and the 380s nonetheless the seats were much comfortable than those on the 744s. To my dismay, it was one of those non AVOD aircraft as I planned to take a short nap before the meal service started. Menus were distributed after take off and to my surprise I got a menu for the Singapore - Bangalore - Singapore sector rather than Singapore – Hong Kong – Singapore! The stewardess promptly changed the menu and sincerely apologised for the error. No robotic mode here but personal touch.
15 minutes after take-off we encountered heavily turbulence out of Singapore and all services were suspended. Once service resumed, breakfast was served and I chose the western option. Sorry no pictures. Was too hungry and was happily wolfing it down when I realised I forgot to take the photos. Wasn’t appetising but still miles better than combat rations.
The flight passed pretty quickly and we began our descent. The approach was very turbulent and the fog was thick! Touch down was a giant slam on the 07L and we taxied to Gate 31.
Immigration was TERRIBLE! So many counters but only 30% were manned. So much for one of the world’s best airports. Even Heathrow’s immigration seems faster during peak hours. Took almost 30 minutes of waiting before I got my passport stamped. Despite the long wait, the baggage from the flight were still not out at belt 08 adding another 10 minutes of waiting time.
Overall, another good flight on SQ. Stay tuned for my second part on the return leg!
Nicholaschee From Australia, joined Oct 2005, 661 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (4 years 4 months 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5242 times:
Quoting Ag92 (Reply 1): Good photos of the new terminal
As a Star Gold did you use the new lounge, any improvements
Good TR
Thanks. Didn't use the lounge this time as I wanted to explore Terminal 3. Did lots of window shopping. Will use the lounge the next time I fly through T3.
Singapore_Air From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 13667 posts, RR: 26 Reply 3, posted (4 years 4 months 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5162 times:
Great trip report and thanks for sharing! Kudos!
I too share with your distaste for immigration on arrival at HKG. Not as bad as my last experience at SFO but not befitting the expectations of a passenger at one of the world's better airports.
Abrelosojos From Venezuela, joined May 2005, 4551 posts, RR: 56 Reply 6, posted (4 years 4 months 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 5016 times:
Thanks for the TR. I guess its me - but I find the pictures of T3 at SIN to be extremely ostentatious and over-the-top. I will reserve full judgment until I get to see it firsthand next month. Too much liberal use of gold, and way too busy.
AznMadSci From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 3097 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (4 years 4 months 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 3861 times:
Thanks for the cool pictures of T3! I definitlely need to head back to Asia soon!
The journey of life is not based on the accomplishments, but the experience.
Nicholaschee From Australia, joined Oct 2005, 661 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (4 years 4 months 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3701 times:
Quoting Singapore_Air (Reply 3): Great trip report and thanks for sharing! Kudos!
I too share with your distaste for immigration on arrival at HKG. Not as bad as my last experience at SFO but not befitting the expectations of a passenger at one of the world's better airports.
Thanks. It's surprising to see that they take so long just to scan the passport, leave 2 stamps and tear off the first page of the arrival card. It would be understandable if they were doing fingerprint scanning but they are not!
Quoting Abrelosojos (Reply 6): Thanks for the TR. I guess its me - but I find the pictures of T3 at SIN to be extremely ostentatious and over-the-top. I will reserve full judgment until I get to see it firsthand next month. Too much liberal use of gold, and way too busy.
Cheers,
A.
Thanks. The design T3 is a result of CAAS' years of experience running T1 & T2. It makes BKK look like a 20 year old airport.
9VSWA From Singapore, joined Dec 2006, 58 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (4 years 4 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 3216 times:
Nice report, flew this route myself a couple of months ago. T3 looks rather empty in the pics, makes me wonder where's the justification in building a new terminal, though I suppose traffic will pick up eventually, especially if CAAS can convince more airlines to move over to T3.
Quoting Nicholaschee (Thread starter): Immigration was TERRIBLE! So many counters but only 30% were manned. So much for one of the world's best airports. Even Heathrow's immigration seems faster during peak hours. Took almost 30 minutes of waiting before I got my passport stamped. Despite the long wait, the baggage from the flight were still not out at belt 08 adding another 10 minutes of waiting time.
I've been to HKG 3 times in recent years and I have mixed feelings about airport. Immigration is rather slow there, though frankly it's a problem found at any other immigration checkpoint in HK or China, at least those that I've gone through. Still I think it's pretty decent, there are worse places that come to mind. Odd that you still had to wait for your bags, surely the long walk from the gate and the time spent at immigration would have been more than enough time for the bags to come out! Must have been a real off-day for Chep Lap Kok.
Quoting Nicholaschee (Reply 11): It would be understandable if they were doing fingerprint scanning but they are not!
Ever used the automated clearance in Changi? It's even faster than the manned counters. Since getting my biometric passport I've used only the automated clearance, fast and easy (unless you get stuck between the 2 barriers!)
Nicholaschee From Australia, joined Oct 2005, 661 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (4 years 4 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 3207 times:
Quoting 9VSWA (Reply 14): Nice report, flew this route myself a couple of months ago. T3 looks rather empty in the pics, makes me wonder where's the justification in building a new terminal, though I suppose traffic will pick up eventually, especially if CAAS can convince more airlines to move over to T3.
Those shots were taken in mid Dec 2007. The terminal looks very busy now with all the travellers.
Quoting 9VSWA (Reply 14): I've been to HKG 3 times in recent years and I have mixed feelings about airport. Immigration is rather slow there, though frankly it's a problem found at any other immigration checkpoint in HK or China, at least those that I've gone through. Still I think it's pretty decent, there are worse places that come to mind. Odd that you still had to wait for your bags, surely the long walk from the gate and the time spent at immigration would have been more than enough time for the bags to come out! Must have been a real off-day for Chep Lap Kok.
Shanghai Pudong's pretty fast the last 2 times I was there.
Quoting 9VSWA (Reply 14): Ever used the automated clearance in Changi? It's even faster than the manned counters. Since getting my biometric passport I've used only the automated clearance, fast and easy (unless you get stuck between the 2 barriers!)
Great report, thanks for sharing.
Been using it since last year but I find the manned counters much faster when there isn't any queues. The system is still buggy at times according to the immigration officer, but works fine for me. Fingerprint scanning in NRT is terrible. The queues are horrendous.
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