Changi SIN rating Best Airport is Poppycock

[kangarooflyer88]

Looks like it has dropped to unlucky #13?

Singapore Changi Airport is named the World’s Best Airport 2023 - Skytrax

Singapore Changi Airport named World’s Best Airport 2023 at the World Airport Awards, held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Amsterdam

skytraxratings.com

I'm always dubious of these ratings given Changi received #1 in the airport ratings which if you've ever had the unlucky pleasure of transiting through Changi is utter poppycock. I mean what airport requires you to clear security at your gate and queue for who knows how long? Totally destroys the lounge experience IMHO. Sure folks will point out the movie theatre or butter fly conservatory and sure I guess if you were Mehran Karimi Nasseri and living out of an airport Changi would be the option. But for those of us using an airport to, I don't know travel it ain't it. Even the lounge situation is horrible when compared to leading airports like Los Angeles. In particular I recall visiting the flagship Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold lounge back in 2018 and being appalled at the lack of restroom and other facilities one would come to expect from a lounge.

-RooFlyer88

 

[dajop]

I'm always dubious of these ratings given Changi received #1 in the airport ratings which if you've ever had the unlucky pleasure of transiting through Changi is utter poppycock. I mean what airport requires you to clear security at your gate and queue for who knows how long? Totally destroys the lounge experience IMHO.

I have departed from SIN about 300 times in the last 15 years - so almost twice a month. I've queued for security for more than 10 minutes about twice, more than 5 minutes about 10 times (mostly travelling when travelling Scoot or Jetstar), and travelling SQ usually only 0-5 passengers in front of me in the queue. The system works an absolute treat. Travelling SQ, I stay in the lounge until T-20 (or T-25 if at a far gate) and simply waltz through security and onto the plane.

Contrast to many airport, with central security points (whether when transiting between international flights, or at any airport when arriving at the airport), where you can queue for a lot longer than gate based security. This can really destroy the lounge experience when you spend 30 mins of your 60 min connection in the security queue. That has happened to me at endless number of airports.

Yet by contrast at SIN, I've reached the airport at 40 mins before departure, checked in luggage, spent 15 mins in the lounge, and still not been the last to board the flight. Try doing that for international departures at most medium-large sized airports.

It also has advantages if running late during connections. I've been on flights through HKG running late, leaving only 45 mins to connect, and already been proactively moved to a later flight (and has happened to family also). At SIN the other night we were quite late arriving, leaving pax connecting to LHR only 20 mins to make their connection. The LHR flight was leaving 3 gates over and the late pax were shepherded straight to the gate to go through security which closes 10 mins before departure. I think they all seemed to make it. At most Asian airports, or indeed many airport globally, you'd have to funnel through central security when doing I-I connections, and have no hope of ever making a connecting flight with only 20mins.

 

[RooFlyer]

I have departed from SIN about 300 times in the last 15 years - so almost twice a month. I've queued for security for more than 10 minutes about twice, more than 5 minutes about 10 times (mostly travelling when travelling Scoot or Jetstar), and travelling SQ usually only 0-5 passengers in front of me in the queue. The system works an absolute treat. Travelling SQ, I stay in the lounge until T-20 (or T-25 if at a far gate) and simply waltz through security and onto the plane.

I believe the poster you replied to was doing a bit of a parody, just like when they express enthusiasm for Hobart airport and the lounges there.

 

[dajop]

I believe the poster you replied to was doing a bit of a parody, just like when they express enthusiasm for Hobart airport and the lounges there.

I hope so! Impossible to tell without an emoji or two

But over on FT, there's a lot of dislike of gate based security by North American contributors,partially driven I think by a culture of needing to be at the gate 3.5 hrs before the plane departs to be at the front of the queue for boarding.

 

[Scarlett]

I believe the poster you replied to was doing a bit of a parody, just like when they express enthusiasm for Hobart airport and the lounges there.

I didn’t get that impression at all. What I got was a certainty for three votes in the AFF end of season clownlow awards.

SIN is consistently recognised, by more than just the shysters at skytrax, as one of the worlds best airports.

 

[SYD]

I mean what airport requires you to clear security at your gate and queue for who knows how long?

Not enough TBH.

The totalitarian system employed by many (including North America) that everyone is herded through some form of security come sheep dip regardless of whether your connection is in 30 mins or 30 hrs is inane.

 

[Gold Member]

I believe the poster you replied to was doing a bit of a parody, just like when they express enthusiasm for Hobart airport and the lounges there.

Roo, Kangarooflyer88‘s comments are unambiguous - They are genuinely critical of SQ and even commend LAX. I’m not sure if he/she is a Skytrax employee/affiliate trying to rebuild a shattered reputation, or just naive. But each to their own, we all have different experiences, right?

 

[justinbrett]

Not enough TBH.

The totalitarian system employed by many (including North America) that everyone is herded through some form of security come sheep dip regardless of whether your connection is in 30 mins or 30 hrs is inane.

Hard disagree. I much prefer centralised security that you can do upfront and then enjoy the rest of your time before departure - and not have to dispose of things like bottled water that you bought 10 minutes before boarding. In my experience it also leads to significant gate lice because everybody knows they have to clear security before boarding so everybody gets there early, making the time after security and before boarding very unpleasant as it's overcrowded.

I really, really hate gate security. It has to be much less efficient to operate.

Give me your "totalitarian" centralised security any day. I'll even take my shoes off.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I have departed from SIN about 300 times in the last 15 years - so almost twice a month. I've queued for security for more than 10 minutes about twice, more than 5 minutes about 10 times (mostly travelling when travelling Scoot or Jetstar), and travelling SQ usually only 0-5 passengers in front of me in the queue. The system works an absolute treat. Travelling SQ, I stay in the lounge until T-20 (or T-25 if at a far gate) and simply waltz through security and onto the plane.

Which airlines were you travelling on? From my (albeit limited) experience flying United and SQ out of Singapore the lines weren't long but were more than 10 minutes. Certainly much longer than I would find at many major US airports like LAX or SFO.

Contrast to many airport, with central security points (whether when transiting between international flights, or at any airport when arriving at the airport), where you can queue for a lot longer than gate based security. This can really destroy the lounge experience when you spend 30 mins of your 60 min connection in the security queue. That has happened to me at endless number of airports.

Yet by contrast at SIN, I've reached the airport at 40 mins before departure, checked in luggage, spent 15 mins in the lounge, and still not been the last to board the flight. Try doing that for international departures at most medium-large sized airports.

It also has advantages if running late during connections. I've been on flights through HKG running late, leaving only 45 mins to connect, and already been proactively moved to a later flight (and has happened to family also). At SIN the other night we were quite late arriving, leaving pax connecting to LHR only 20 mins to make their connection. The LHR flight was leaving 3 gates over and the late pax were shepherded straight to the gate to go through security which closes 10 mins before departure. I think they all seemed to make it. At most Asian airports, or indeed many airport globally, you'd have to funnel through central security when doing I-I connections, and have no hope of ever making a connecting flight with only 20mins.

For connecting flights there is never a need to clear security again since you already cleared security at your originating airport. Now sure you will point to some airports around the world where that may not be the case, but frankly that's the fault of the airport. If anything the fact that you need to re-clear security at Singapore on an international connection is yet another strike against them. Indeed, when connecting at many large Canadian airports like Toronto or Vancouver and also some European airports like Amsterdam Schipol and even Frankfurt there is no need to re-clear security.

 

[RooFlyer]

Which airlines were you travelling on? From my (albeit limited) experience flying United and SQ out of Singapore the lines weren't long but were more than 10 minutes. Certainly much longer than I would find at many major US airports like LAX or SFO.

Are you saying that the queues at the gate security you experienced at Changi was 'much longer' then TSA security queues at the entry to airside at LAX? (Perhaps you have TSA pre-check?)

In any event, if you strike a huge queue at the gate, you won't miss your flight. If you strike a huge queue at the 'regular security points', you may! At SIN, you really only need to show up for gate security during boarding (or towards its end) and at that time you'll virtually walk through.

For connecting flights there is never a need to clear security again since you already cleared security at your originating airport. Now sure you will point to some airports around the world where that may not be the case, but frankly that's the fault of the airport. If anything the fact that you need to re-clear security at Singapore on an international connection is yet another strike against them. Indeed, when connecting at many large Canadian airports like Toronto or Vancouver and also some European airports like Amsterdam Schipol and even Frankfurt there is no need to re-clear security.

There was extensive discussion on re-clearing security in transit on AFF not long ago. Its a common practice at many airports around the world.

The need to clear security at a transit airport largely rides on how the transit airport views the security measures of its feeding airports (one in, all in) and, to a lesser extent, the passenger flow within the terminal.

 

[dajop]

Which airlines were you travelling on? From my (albeit limited) experience flying United and SQ out of Singapore the lines weren't long but were more than 10 minutes. Certainly much longer than I would find at many major US airports like LAX or SFO.

A variety of airlines. But I've travelled on SQ (and its former regional subsidiary Silkair) ~185 times over 15 years and not once have had to wait at security more than 5 mins travelling SQ or MI, usually just only 2-3 people ahead of me. I typically reach the gate between 25 and 15 mins before departure, as I know SQ close the gates 10 mins before departure, and not before then. The only time I've faced huge queue was at a multi-gate security point, but quietly approaching security and indicating I was on the flight leaving in 15 mins not the flight leaving in an hour, they allowed me (and a couple of other in the same boat) to jump the queue.

LCC's can be a bit longer, and they're the two I've waited more than 10 mins. If I do see a long queue I'll go for a wander and come back later ...

 

[dajop]

For connecting flights there is never a need to clear security again since you already cleared security at your originating airport.

I can’t work out if you genuinely believe this or are just winding us up/being provocative?

Flying from Australia to anywhere via an international connection and I am struggling to think of a single port where you will not have to clear security before going to your connecting flight unless same plane (and even then some airports do make you alight and go through security again).

Some connecting ports that come to mind for I-I connections originating in either Australia or SIN, where I have experienced that security clearance is required (mostly at a central security point, except SIN & KUL) before the second flight include SIN, KUL, BKK, HKG, CGK, DPS, SYD, AKL, ICN, TPE, KIX, NRT, DEL, FRA*, LHR, LAX, SFO, EWR, MXP, ATH, DME, IST. And more.

You're from Canada originally, right? What happens at YVR and YYZ if doing say NRT-YVR-MEX or Jamaica-YYZ-Europe (I know if transiting Canada to US you generally have to pre-clear US immigration at the Canadian airport, so excluding those).

* nb for FRA I've also experienced what you talk about - straight off plane and into airport without central security in recent years, originating in EU and SIN.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I can’t work out if you genuinely believe this or are just winding us up/being provocative?

I'm not being provocative, this is actually an annex to existing IATA/ICAO regulations called One Stop Security. There frankly isn't any reason on connection to have security. Either the security process works or it doesn't.

Some connecting ports that come to mind for I-I connections originating in either Australia or SIN, where clearance is required before the second flight include SIN, KUL, BKK, HKG, CGK, DPS, SYD, AKL, ICN, TPE, KIX, NRT, DEL, FRA, LHR, LAX, SFO, EWR, MXP, ATH, DME, IST. And more.

I cannot comment on most of those airports as I haven't had to do a connection there, but at FRA there certainly isn't a need to re-clear security on connection for a non-Schengen to non-Schengen connection. You simply walk to the next gate. This was the case when I was flying LH from LHR to CPT.

You're from Canada originally, right? What happens at YVR and YYZ if doing say NRT-YVR-MEX or Jamaica-YYZ-Europe (I know if transiting Canada to US you generally have to pre-clear US immigration at the Canadian airport, so excluding those).

You would follow signs for connecting international flights and be dumped into the international departures hall.

For domestic to US or international to US at a Canadian airport yes you generally need to re-clear security since a change of country occurs at the airport and the US tends to be stricter on security rules.

 

[dajop]

This was the case when I was flying LH from LHR to CPT.

Wonder if that would be the case in reverse? LHR is, despite Brexit, still part of overall European airport standards. I experienced similar going LHR-FRA-SIN.

 

[JohnK]

I like SIN airport. It's the airport I've transitted the most outside of Australia. It's clean. Safe for an overnight sleepover in airport. Ideal for long walk inside terminals to pass time.

KUL has security at the gate. KLIA2 is a mess. Long waits at security clearance.

BKK has just recently introduced security after clearing main security just before the gates for domestic flights.

 

[RooFlyer]

There frankly isn't any reason on connection to have security. Either the security process works or it doesn't.

Well, lets say it doesn't - sometimes. Then what?

I wonder if you realise that, at least not long ago, you could board a plane in some Australian regional airports with no security check, and be deposited into a major airport, there to catch a mainline flight? May still be the case - I don't know. Now, that's not international transiting, but its not impossible to imagine some fairly dodgy security/connection situations in, say, 'third world' countries leading to international flights. I've certainly gone through some security at international airports that might kindly be described as 'cursory' - Abijan, Dar es Salaam etc. So major airports rightly like to cover such possible lapses that are out of their control, and screen international transit passengers.

I cannot comment on most of those airports as I haven't had to do a connection there, but at FRA there certainly isn't a need to re-clear security on connection for a non-Schengen to non-Schengen connection. You simply walk to the next gate.

So you've barely experienced beyond SIN and USA/Canada and FRA non-Schengen to non Schengen? Hardly sufficient to make the definitive statements you've been making.

I believe the poster you replied to was doing a bit of a parody, just like when they express enthusiasm for Hobart airport and the lounges there.

OK, so I may have been wrong ...

 

[justinbrett]

In any event, if you strike a huge queue at the gate, you won't miss your flight. If you strike a huge queue at the 'regular security points', you may! At SIN, you really only need to show up for gate security during boarding (or towards its end) and at that time you'll virtually walk through.

The thing is, if the TSA ran the gate security at SIN, and the Singapore security teams ran the security at LAX - would the results still be the same?

I think saying something is not as bad as the TSA is more correlation than causation. Many airports around the world do centralised security and do it well.

For me it's not about the time, it's not being able to take liquids to the gate (I always like to buy a big bottle of water to bring with me), and I really didn't like waiting in the holding pen until boarding starts. There was a fairly long queue at the gate last time I transited SIN on BA16 - as long as I've waited on average in TSA queues in the US (except LAX TBIT - I never use that anymore, always go via T4, so much quicker).

I think there are pros and cons for gate security vs centralised security, and some will prefer one to the other. I can't see US/UK/AU ever going down the road of gate security, and I'm happy about that.

 

[darkice]

Brisbane International was rated at no. 20 i think it was? now that is a bit of a crock of cough.

Barely any shops and food options there, some still closed.

 

[Muppet501st]

Wonder if that would be the case in reverse? LHR is, despite Brexit, still part of overall European airport standards. I experienced similar going LHR-FRA-SIN.

Flew DUB-LHR-FCO in October and had to go thru security at LHR to connect

 

[Mattg]

I think SIN is a great airport