Singapore Changi Airport and The JetQuay

After the wind-from-sails-removing in-flight experience, all hopes were pinned on the arrival arrangements in Singapore being altogether more impressive. And so they turned out to be. A wheelchair was waiting at the 777’s door, with a pusher whose job it was to shove GCC no further than the other end of the jetty. Here, two drivers with attendant buggies stood to attention, ready to whisk us off to Changi’s on-airport CIP (Commercially Important People) Terminal – JetQuay.

It was a race between these two Ayrton Sennas of Arrivals through Terminals Three and Two, parting a Moses-like path through the sea of early-morning travellers, who’d hitherto been enjoying a leisurely browse of the duty free emporia. With a remarkable lack of self-awareness or embarrassment, we just about managed to avoid smiling and waving at the blurred hordes and we finally rolled up at the entrance to JetQuay. So far: so fun.

A wheelchair was already waiting there and we descended into the Jet Quay lobby, calmed by waterfalls and fountains and decorated with abundant orchids.

Immigration formalities are completed in a private room with no queue, and then passengers are escorted into the lounge area to partake of drinks and/or food as desired.

The facility is used by both arriving and departing passengers and there are numerous seating and meeting areas, televisions, PCs, WiFi, showers and a buffet area.

JetQuay is a privately-run enterprise which integrates seamlessly into the Changi operation. There are differing levels of service, including one which includes limousine transfer from aircraft to lounge, but all are open to all passengers – upon payment of the appropriate fee, of course. It’s an excellent facility – really first class – but it seems somewhat perverse that JetQuay operates at one of the World’s already most efficient and otherwise painless-to-use airports, rather than the myriad selection of will-sapping hell-holes with three-letter IATA codes that litter the rest of the globe. Oh for JetQuay at JFK (that’s a request, by the way, not a comment.)

Arriving passengers have their luggage receipts taken by a member of staff for a porter to retrieve any cases, and deposit them unseen in any onward transport which has been arranged. Only when the luggage is safely stowed in the car outside are the passengers then invited to leave their calm surroundings and head to the hotel-style porte-cochere for their swift and discreet departure.

Along a private drive and through unadorned gates, and we’re out into a Singapore morning in some style.

The more eagle-eyed amongst you will have noted that the waiting transport was far from a brace of minicabs, so things were continuing to look up significantly……