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Confirmed: Singapore's Changi Airport Is Absurdly, Famously Decadent

A new survey is out on travelers' favorite airports, this one claiming to be among the most comprehensive to date. 14,500 frequent travelers representing 160 countries from around the world were polled, and after everything was tallied the winner was Singapore's Changi Airport. Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok and Amsterdam's Schiphol were 2nd and 3rd respectively.

We're not sure how actually legitimate these results were and if there was any campaigning in the background. Whoever's responsible for the airport's PR seems to have an ambitious streak, and someone has gone so far as to insert copy into Wikipedia: "the designer airport is one of those anomalies where the phrase 'I spent all my time in the airport' is likely to be a positive."

So maybe this was a commissioned survey. But as the old saying goes, if you've got it flaunt it. And the Singapore Changi Airport certainly seems to have it.

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Tags: International Airports / Changi Airport / Seoul / South Korea Travel / Asia Travel / → All Tags

Survey Says: All The Best Airports Are In Asia

The results are in, and Incheon Airport near Seoul in South Korea has been crowned the best airport in the world. The Skytrax survey people say they've spent ten months surveying almost nine million passengers and Incheon wins.

No doubt it helps that Incheon Airport has a casino, golf course and indoor gardens; we've only flown in and out of there twice but have nothing but good memories—the airport advice counter actually found us a great place to stay even when we arrived without a booking in the middle of the World Cup a few years back.

And if you're after a good airport experience, this survey definitely says that you've got to stick with Asia. Hong Kong International Airport came in at a close number two, and Singapore's Changi Airport was put in third place by just a few votes. Three more Asian airports made it into the top ten, with Zurich, Munich, Amsterdam and Auckland getting the other big votes.

Related Stories:
· Seoul's Incheon Airport Voted Best [CNN]
· Big Korean Airport Makes Friends With Jin Air [Jaunted]
· Changi Airport Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: riNux]

Tags: Changi Airport / Airport Lounges / Singapore Travel / → All Tags

Don't Leave Singapore's Airport Without Your Oxygen

We've spent many an hour in transit at Singapore's Changi Airport without chancing across the curious range of delights that await us at the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 2.

A shower for S$8 ($5) is pretty reasonable; having to pay for a three-hour nap (S$30; US$20) is something we're less sure about, because it's not clear what kind of private place we get to catch our Zs. And somehow we're just not hip enough to pay between S$15 and S$23 for the oxygen.

To be sure, this place doesn't have the sleek appeal of the Singapore Airlines first class lounge, but then the sleek place doesn't offer oxygen. Or perhaps it does, but it's gratis. Take your pick.

Related Stories:
· Singapore's First Class Lounge Invites Great Experiences [Jaunted]
· Changi Airport Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Steel Wool]

Tags: Airport Lounges / First Class / Singapore Airlines / Changi Airport / → All Tags

Singapore's First Class Lounge Invites Great Experiences

Some airlines fascinate us with bidets in their first class lounges, but Singapore Airlines has won us over with what we can only describe as style and sophistication.

This is their hometown lounge at Changi Airport and we like it for its late-night, Lost-in-Translation vibe. This is an airport lounge where elegant strangers fetch you drinks and (we figure) anything can happen.

The nice part is that Singapore Airlines actually lives up to the expectations this lounge gives you: remember their fancy-looking first class cabin on board? Attractive strangers welcome in either spot.

Related Stories:
· British Airways [Jaunted]
· How First Class on Singapore Airlines Spent Christmas [Jaunted]
· Singapore Airlines Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Richard Moross]

Tags: Changi Airport / Singapore / Airports / Celeb Travel / Tommy Lee / Vince Neil / → All Tags

Tommy Lee and Vince Neil Lure Passengers

Singapore’s Changi Airport is pulling out all the stops to make sure its customers don’t stray. From adding terminals to providing free entertainment, there seems to be no end to their schemes to stop us from flying through places like Dubai or Hong Kong instead.

Now they’ve got a "Smile Campaign" going to improve customer service within the airport (which doesn’t sound too original), and they’re also using a celebrity meet-and-greet idea to entice people to come.

Last week slightly-aged rockers Tommy Lee and Vince Neil from Mötley Crüe welcomed passengers at Terminal 2. Because there’s obviously, uh, a strong connection between Mötley Crüe and Singapore.

--AmandaK

Related Stories:
· Welcome to Singapore, I’m Tommy Lee [The Age]
· Changi Airport’s Getting Greedy for Terminals [Jaunted]
· Changi Airport Wants to Entertain You [Jaunted]

[Photo: Aviation Record]

Tags: Changi Airport / Singapore / Airports / → All Tags

Changi Airport Wants to Entertain You

The great hub of Singapore's Changi Airport is already on the way to getting bigger, but now it's also getting better. Head to the third floor of the Terminal 2 building and you can now hang out in the Entertainment Deck, formally referred to as the "one-stop integrated entertainment zone."

The powers-that-be know that transit passengers have needs--could they mention this to other airports?--so the Entertainment Deck is there to help us pass the time: there's a free LAN gaming room, Xbox and Playstation consoles to use for free, a free cinema, music booths and a comic and collectibles shop.

You read right, heaps of that stuff is free to use. Isn't Changi Airport a friendly place? It almost makes you want to get stuck in transit waiting for a delayed plane... but not quite.

Related Stories:
· Changi Entertainment Deck [Official Site]
· Changi Airport's Getting Greedy for Terminals [Jaunted]

Tags: Changi Airport / Singapore / Low Cost Carriers / LCCs / → All Tags

Changi Airport's Getting Greedy for Terminals

The paint on the third terminal at Singapore's massive Changi Airport is barely dry, but they're already thinking about the fourth. According to the Singaporean transport minister:

We must expand our capacity and add the fourth terminal because our status as a global aviation hub is threatened by rivals.

Although we still see Singapore as the clear choice for a hub fly-through, apparently officials fear that Dubai, Bangkok or Hong Kong could overtake them. Using an "if we build it, they will come" philosophy, Singapore hopes that the stray long-haul passengers who've started flying through Dubai instead will return.

With plenty of budget airline action happening in the Australasian region too, the budget airline terminal at Changi is also going to be expanded. They're predicting an increase in LCC passenger numbers from 2.7 million up to 9 million by 2009. With that many passengers circling the skies, we're hoping to see plenty of bargain prices.

Related Stories:
· Singapore Plans Fourth Changi Terminal [Business Traveller]
· Behind the Scenes at Changi T3 [Jaunted]

[Photo: stupz]

Tags: Airports / Changi Airport / Asia Travel / → All Tags

Behind the Scenes at Changi T3

Many a weary traveler has passed through the massive Changi Airport in Singapore, usually during a transfer to yet another flight. But there are definitely worse airports to transit through, and we've always found Changi Airport both clean and inviting, and with enough entertainment to keep us occupied for even a long layover. But even the coolest airports are still airports, right?

Enter Changi's new weapon: Terminal 3. "T3" as they're calling it is planned to add an additional capacity of 22 million passengers per year, and while it's not yet up and running, it's open to the public for tours.

Until December 9, you can walk through the public areas for free (check out the funky ceilings), or pay a small fee for either a self-guided or tour-guided twirl around the restricted areas. There are even museum-style displays talking about the building and design process. Checking out T3 before it opens might be your chance to actually enjoy an airport terminal.

Related Stories:
· Changi Terminal 3 Opens for Sneak Preview [NewsAsia]
· Changi Airport Terminal 3 [Official Site]
· Singapore Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: StarvingFox]

Tags: Singapore Travel / Tourism Boards / Changi Airport / → All Tags

Tourism Board: Singapore Wins (New) Top Honor

On June 15, the Singapore Tourism Board won the award for "Best Tourism Branding" at the first-ever Travel Weekly Industry Awards, held in Hong Kong. The group has been touting its accolade ever since.

The organization focuses its branding on business travelers and the medical industry, but still has a "leisure group" for travelers whose purpose for visiting lacks monetary motivations.

The board lays out a bold business plan to establish the Southeast Asian City-State as a hub of world commerce. Since travelers start their visit flying into Singapore's Changi Airport -- considered by many to be the best place in the world to catch a plane -- the Tourism Board will be securing the country's position as most desirable destination among the corporate elite in no time.

Related Stories:
·   Glass Elevators in Singapore [HotelChatter]
·   Singapore to Scan Faces [Jaunted]

[Photo: National Geographic]