Changi Budget terminal

[BigSis]

I didn't mind it the first few times I used it which was a while ago now, but I don't know what the hell they thought they were doing last November when we flew out of there - what a palarva that was. Unless they were short staffed for some reason that day but they didn't admit to that when they replied to my email afterwards.

[JR8]

They have a Cheers convenience shop by the departure gates, so you get a beer at a pretty normal price. You sure as hell can't do that in the main termninals.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Egg McMuffins to the waiting area, the only thing I eat from McDonald's;

I thought I was the only one with that stipulation.

[NorrinRadd]

You're right about long queues there, I think that's always been a problem, sometimes pretty bad. I'm one of those who more often than not get to airports way earlier than I need to.

I didn't mind it the first few times I used it which was a while ago now, but I don't know what the hell they thought they were doing last November when we flew out of there - what a palarva that was. Unless they were short staffed for some reason that day but they didn't admit to that when they replied to my email afterwards.

[aster]

They have a Cheers convenience shop by the departure gates, so you get a beer at a pretty normal price. You sure as hell can't do that in the main termninals.

T3 has a Cheers store... but in the arrivals area. So if you are waiting for someone and it's taking a while then a nice, cold beer at a normal price is readily available.

[JR8]

They have a Cheers convenience shop by the departure gates, so you get a beer at a pretty normal price. You sure as hell can't do that in the main termninals.

T3 has a Cheers store... but in the arrivals area. So if you are waiting for someone and it's taking a while then a nice, cold beer at a normal price is readily available.

I think I have availed myself of that one. I spend way to much time sitting around at that airport for my own good

I was going to say that that is street-side though and the one at the BT is air-side, but the Changi airport www indicates that there is a Cheers on both sides at T3, plus another street-side at T2, plus an NTUC street-side in T3. I think the latter might be down in the basement somewhere...


p.s. Just realised the convenience store at the BT as a 7-11, not a Cheers.

[the lynx]

I'm actually cool with the budget terminal. Yeah it is messy at times (at the check-in counter) but I'm satisfied with the facilities (but then again, I'm an easily contented person). It is a budget terminal after all, how else would you expect it to be?

Still, it is a good thing that they decided to do away with it and 'upgrade' it T4. A change may be good for this.

[nakatago]

What I hate about the budget terminal is upon landing from a flight from certain countries, they will make you go through security before you even reach the immigration queues.

X-ray scanners, removing electronics, taking out your laptop...Once, the white guy behind me told me, "This is ridiculous. We already got checked before getting into the plane and we get checked immediately after landing?"

[aster]

This happens at the normal terminal as well. Kind of like some people have their bags x-rayed before they even go through immigration at the regular terminals at Changi.

Singapore is unique in that it doesn't have a "sterile environment" when clearing passport control - all final checks are done at the gate. Most airports do the check right at the outset so that the whole duty-free/passenger area is sterile in terms of security. So basically most airports would do this to ensure that the sterile environment is kept that way in terms of keeping planes secure (since there are no checks from duty-free to boarding), whereas Changi does this to make sure that nothing funny goes down at the terminal itself (like some wackos arriving with stuff they shouldn't have to cause trouble at the airport itself - since they would still have to face a full check if they were to board another plane anyway).

[zzm9980]

What I hate about the budget terminal is upon landing from a flight from certain countries, they will make you go through security before you even reach the immigration queues.

X-ray scanners, removing electronics, taking out your laptop...Once, the white guy behind me told me, "This is ridiculous. We already got checked before getting into the plane and we get checked immediately after landing?"

You just said "certain countries". Do you trust those "certain countries" to effectively screen? Apparently Changi doesn't.

[zzm9980]

This happens at the normal terminal as well. Kind of like some people have their bags x-rayed before they even go through immigration at the regular terminals at Changi.

Singapore is unique in that it doesn't have a "sterile environment" when clearing passport control - all final checks are done at the gate. Most airports do the check right at the outset so that the whole duty-free/passenger area is sterile in terms of security. So basically most airports would do this to ensure that the sterile environment is kept that way in terms of keeping planes secure (since there are no checks from duty-free to boarding), whereas Changi does this to make sure that nothing funny goes down at the terminal itself (like some wackos arriving with stuff they shouldn't have to cause trouble at the airport itself - since they would still have to face a full check if they were to board another plane anyway).

Flights to the US (and maybe AUS-NZ?) require this now at any airport. Perhaps Changi just does this to all flights so that they don't have to do what they do in HKG, which is dedicate specific gates just to flights to the US and setup a secondary screening there?

I even had to go through this at ICN on the SQ flight to SFO. You land in Seoul, you're forced off the plane and through security. Then, you have about 20 minutes to browse before you have to go back to the gate, get screened again, and get right back on to the same plane you just got off.

Btw, no liquids are allowed onto flights to the US. I used to grab Perrier out of the CX lounge and toss them in my carry-on, but security takes it away. When I was in Seoul, I was eating icecream. The girls just looked at it and had no idea what to do, kept asking each other "Ice-ka-rea-mu??" Then one just handed it back and motioned for me to hurry up and get on before someone said no.


Also, the most interesting thing I noticed was leaving SFO a few weeks ago. Just as my boarding pass was scanned, and i walked onto the jet bridge, a posse of TSA officers were just around the corner out of site grabbing people that were walking onto the flight. Two darker skinned gentlemen in front of me were grabbed right away with their carry ons yanked open almost immediately. I assumed I would be searched too, but was told in a very happy voice "Have an excellent flight, sir", which I knew meant "This is none of your business so get on the plane"

[nakatago]

You just said "certain countries". Do you trust those "certain countries" to effectively screen? Apparently Changi doesn't.

Uh yes. Those certain countries are stricter with their security theater than Changi, apparently.

[ecureilx]

You just said "certain countries". Do you trust those "certain countries" to effectively screen? Apparently Changi doesn't.

Uh yes. Those certain countries are stricter with their security theater than Changi, apparently.

In 'certain' countries, I have seen the departing passengers being corralled into one hall, post Immigration check, and doors closed. Then arriving passengers get locked into another hall, and then the departing passengers get released to go and identify their check-in luggage so the luggage gets loaded into the plane. and then the arriving passengers get called out to immigration checks.

I am sure that is more sterile than anywhere.

Oh, I thought KL too was a-la Singapore t1/t2/t3 ?

[aster]

Also keep in mind that at Changi incoming passengers are pooled into the departure area along with departing passengers, whereas at places like Heathrow they are kept completely separate.

[ecureilx]

Also keep in mind that at Changi incoming passengers are pooled into the departure area along with departing passengers, whereas at places like Heathrow they are kept completely separate.

Well, Changi Has no choice I guess ..

Primarily, I understood from the CAPA report, that Changi handles an equal amount of transit pax compared to embarking / dismebarking pax !!!