Singapore Changi International Airport • full of eastern promise

Year after year, Changi has been consistently rated as a top hub for service, efficiency and facilities. And with the new terminal three opened in 2008, the experience got a whole lot better

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Service with a smile is a mantra we hear time and again, but few airport shop staff manage it anywhere near as well as in Singapore Changi. Just like the downtown shopping malls which drive local spending • here shopping is a popular pastime • attentiveness to customers’ needs really are a priority in order to get the sale.

Singapore is not necessarily a bargain-hunter’s paradise when compared to nearby cities such as Hong Kong or Bangkok, but, for passengers at Changi • many of whom are in transit • the completeness of the retail offer makes it an enticing place to browse and buy. The management at the airport know a thing or two about dealing with transiting travellers who can get cranky and bored when they have long wait times.

To handle that side of things the hub has quiet napping areas; music lounges; a Balinese-themed swimming pool and Jacuzzi at the Ambassador Transit Hotel with paid access for non-guests, including the use of shower facilities; 24-hour spa services such as nail care, foot reflexology, massage therapy and gym; and even free two-hour sightseeing tours of Singapore (a Colonial Tour, Cultural Tour and Food Tour) on a first come, first served basis if you have at least five hours to spare before your connecting flight.

Store-wise, Changi’s three terminals serve up boutiques galore as well as numerous food and drink outlets; more than 300 in total covering almost a quarter of a million square metres! So where to start? Given the service culture that dominates the region, the spa offer mentioned above should be sampled. Top treat would be The Ultimate, an upscale wellness centre that specialises in authentic Asian massage techniques and has its latest niche outlet in T2’s departure and transit area.

For more functional treatments, Transpa in T1 and T2 is a one-stop shop for hair and beauty services including reflexology, facial and nail care. Or for the full reflexology chill-out experience, head to My Foot Reflexology in T1 and T3 for therapeutic massages to unwind and de-stress while listening to the sound of gentle running streams (on the audio system, not the real thing unfortunately).

All the terminals boast good shopping but T3 is the big news on the shops front. Apart from the breathtaking scale of the building, the highlights here are two giant beauty boutiques filled with every fragrance you could wish for, plus corners from luxury brands such as Bulgari, Cartier and Chloe to Gucci, Hermes and Vertu. Mid-market Euro fashion is also present with the likes of Marc O’Polo and Esprit, but don’t forget Shanghai Tang with its quirky, attention-grabbing oriental style.

In fact, Changi is a perfect opportunity to shop away from the usual European brands and pick up on more local flavours and tastes. Thailand’s Harn & Thann soaps are wonderfully scented, Charles and Keith epitomise women’s shoe styles as worn in Singapore, Top Orchids can arrange or gift-box fresh orchids for you or your favourite person, and Risis, a jewellery house that made its name by capturing orchids in 24 carat gold back in the sixties, now offers a very broad collection of products with local connections.

Changi has also tried to stay competitive against a price-conscious local market and offers a ‘double-the-price-difference’ refund guarantee. So, if you buy a product at the airport but find it being sold at a comparable downtown outlet (not in a sale), you can claim the stated refund.

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Singapore Changi Factfile Factfile

Passengers 37.7 million in 2008
Terminals 3 main terminals plus a budget airlines terminal and one for CIP travellers
Main retail areas Departures areas of T1, T2 and T3, plus the Budget Terminal

Singapore Airlines dominates T3, and it is also strong in T2 along with Silk Air. In total 83 airlines operate more than 4,670 weekly scheduled flights to 190 cities in 60 countries