SATS Premier Lounge, Terminal 1 Changi Airport
Scoot TR752 was scheduled to depart from Changi Airport's Terminal 1 at 0720 hrs. The S$98.00 one way ticket I bought came along with a 10kg cabin bag allowance, but did not include any meals. My plan was to arrive at the airport at 0500 hrs so we could have breakfast at SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 1. The lounge operates 24 hours, but I wanted to make sure that food would be available at 0500 hrs, so I rang ahead to check. They confirmed that breakfast would be served from 0300 hrs.
At 0430 hrs, we were picked up by Citi's complimentary airport limousine service and whisked off to Terminal 1. After checking in for our flight, we gained free entry to SATS Premier Lounge by using our Priority Passes. The lounge was very crowded, as it was one of the few lounges which was operating at that hour.
The buffet breakfast had hot and cold selections. Although the food was not particularly tasty, it was more than adequate to fill our tummies. Alcoholic beverages were also available. We were glad to have a place to go for complimentary breakfast and charge our gadgets before our flight.
Royal Orchid Lounge, Concourse E, International Terminal, Suvarnabhumi Airport
As Singapore Airline's Silverkris Lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport was still closed due to COVID-19, we were issued invitation passes to Royal Orchid Lounge upon checking in for our flight home. It was our first visit to this lounge and we were quite impressed with the selection and taste of the hot food available. This lounge suits lovers of Thai cuisine, like us.
The lounge was not as modern as other lounges and plug points were a little lacking. It was very crowded when we first arrived, and we had to wait till quite a few passengers left before we could find seats with plug points. The toilets were dated and I did not see any showers facilities for passengers to use. However, the buffet spread there made up for those shortcomings, and I'd be happy to return in the future.
Oman Air First & Business Class Lounge, Concourse E, International Terminal, Suvarnabhumi Airport
I was curious about the Oman Air Lounge in Bangkok as I had previously read glowing reviews about it online. It was right next door to the Royal Orchid Lounge we were at, so I decided to zip over and access it with my Priority Pass.
The buffet spread at this lounge was fairly limited, but the quality of the food was very good. I especially enjoyed the chocolate gateau. I was also pleasantly surprised by the range of alcohol available, and couldn't resist pouring myself a glass of Bailey's.
The lounge was small and cozy. It was quite busy when we were there, and we found ourselves wedged between 2 other tables of guests with little social distancing. This wasn't ideal, having regard to the ongoing pandemic.
What irked me more though was the state of the toilet in the lounge. Oman is in the Middle East and Oman Air is the national airline of a Muslim country. Naturally, the lounge attracts a sizeable number of Muslim guests who have a habit of using the toilet's bidet to perform ablution before prayer sessions, resulting in the floor of the toilet being constantly wet, slippery and dirty with shoe prints. If you've stepped into a public toilet in Malaysia or Indonesia, you'll know what I mean. It would have been much more sensible for the lounge to maintain a dedicated area for ablution instead, so staff need not struggle to keep the place dry and clean.
Air France - KLM SkyLounge, Concourse F, International Terminal, Suvarnabhumi Airport
After visiting 2 lounges, I found I still had time for a third before our flight. I sprinted to Air France - KLM SkyLounge and used my Priority Pass to enter it.
I was last there in June 2019, and I distinctly remember liking the food and ambiance. The canapes and desserts were still as delectable as before and the lounge just as quiet. There was only a handful of guests in there. I was glad I managed to squeeze this one into my lounge hop. In fact, of the 4 lounges I visited on this whole trip, this was my favourite.
Flight SQ713 from Bangkok to Singapore
Using Krisflyer miles we had collected through credit card usage, we redeemed Business Class tickets on Singapore Airlines from Bangkok to Christchurch, with a stopover in Singapore. The flight from Bangkok to Singapore in June 2022 was the first leg of our journey. The second part of the trip would take place in December 2022 when we fly from Singapore to Christchurch.
The seats in SQ713 were the 2018 Regional Business Class ones and they were configured in a 1-2-1 fashion. The 6 of us occupied a row of single seats on the starboard side, so we could all have our own window.
The 2hr 20min flight was uneventful. After an inflight movie, 2 glasses of champagne and an unremarkable seabass meal later, we were on the tarmac at Changi Airport and the friendly drivers from DBS Asia Treasures' complimentary airport transfer service were ready to take us home.
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