[SCORPION]

Originally Posted by sunilch

Queries:

1) One hour should be more than sufficient. Some airlines give in-flight information about your connecting flights on your entertainment unit. Even if you don't have that luxury find out the gate number of your connecting flight soon after you exit the aircraft and make your way to the gate. I am sure you will even have time for a few minutes of shopping once you find your departure gate.

1a) Luggage is checked in all the way to your final destination. No need to recheck-in.

3) 3 hours is ample time to check out the airport. It is probably the best airport in the world for shopping apart from DXB. I haven't been to the refreshed Changi, but 3 hours is sufficient time. I think they have a new garden of some sort.

[dean5545]

Originally Posted by sunilch

Traveling from Mumbai to HK via SG. Need some advice here folks. The questions might appear to be quite elementary but that is because I will be traveling business class for the first time

Singapore Airlines.
Onward: BOM to SG, 3 hour layover, SG to HK.
Return: HK to SG but only 1 hour layover, SG to BOM.

Queries:
1) Is 1 hour enough to change the flight while returning at Changi? Same airline, just a different flight and hence a different terminal. Will I face any issues, assuming my incoming flight is on time?

1a) Do I have to take my luggage and re-check-in or will it be seamless (I hope so)?

I had recently travelled by Singapore airlines from New York to Mumbai. There was supposed to be a 50 minute halt in Singapore where in I would switch flights.

However my New York-Frankfurt-Singapore flight got delayed by 15 mins so Singapore airlines had booked me on a flight next evening. They gave me hotel accommodation, food and visa expenses. However I lost 2 days.

So in short these short interval layovers where in you got to switch flights are a bit risky. If the first flight is even 10minutes late you may miss your flight. However, I had plenty of time for my Shanghai- Singapore- Mumbai flight which was having just 1 hour layover and I had to catch a metro to go to the other terminal. So it all depends on when your first flight lands.

Regarding luggage, your hand luggage will be re-scanned. It will be done at the boarding terminal.
You will receive your checked in luggage directly at Mumbai airport.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by dean5545

However my New York-Frankfurt-Singapore flight got delayed by 15 mins so Singapore airlines had booked me on a flight next evening. They gave me hotel accommodation, food and visa expenses. However I lost 2 days.

So in short these short interval layovers where in you got to switch flights are a bit risky. If the first flight is even 10minutes late you may miss your flight.

Main thing to decide is if you don't mind getting stuck in a particular place, assuming you are provided decent accommodation. I'd be happy to be stuck in Singapore for a day, not so much a place like Doha or somewhere boring.

[dean5545]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Main thing to decide is if you don't mind getting stuck in a particular place, assuming you are provided decent accommodation. I'd be happy to be stuck in Singapore for a day, not so much a place like Doha or somewhere boring.

Since they were paying for it I wasn't complaining. Only fly in the ointment was we didn't have additional pair of clothes with us, since it was already checked in.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by sunilch

1) Is 1 hour enough to change the flight while returning at Changi? Same airline, just a different flight and hence a different terminal. Will I face any issues, assuming my incoming flight is on time?

I would never book an international stopover less than 90 minutes. 1 hour is good if everything goes right but if even one small thing goes wrong (if your flight reaches 15 minutes late or there is unusual crowding at security check), it would very tight. You don't get off the flight as soon as it lands - it usually takes 15 minutes before you are out. You may also need to do a security check again which may take 15 minutes if there is crowd. If there is also a custom & immigration check (for e.g. you are are going to a country & transferring to a domestic flight to go elsewhere in the country - which is not your case), I keep 2 hours at the minimum.

[noopster]

@sunilch- Not sure why you are doing a stopover for Hong Kong. There are direct flight options (Cathay, Hong Kong Air IIRC) that will get you there for cheaper.

One hour at Changi is usually *just* enough. My flights to and from Auckland last year were like that. But that is because the flights to Middle Earth are few & far between. Hong Kong you have tons of options!

Edit: if you must stop over in Singapore, try getting the 8-hour transit visa and go see the city at least, like Ajmat is suggesting

[mpksuhas]

In case you get transit visa, Singapore airport conducts free bus sightseeing tours. You can opt for the same if interested. They have two preset routes.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Its more than enough........

Thanks ajmat

Originally Posted by SCORPION

1) One hour should be more than sufficient.

Thanks SCORPION

Originally Posted by dean5545

I had recently travelled by Singapore airlines from New York to Mumbai. There was supposed to be a 50 minute halt in Singapore where in I would switch flights.

However my New York-Frankfurt-Singapore flight got delayed by 15 mins so Singapore airlines had booked me on a flight next evening. They gave me hotel accommodation, food and visa expenses. However I lost 2 days.

So in short these short interval layovers where in you got to switch flights are a bit risky. If the first flight is even 10minutes late you may miss your flight. However, I had plenty of time for my Shanghai- Singapore- Mumbai flight which was having just 1 hour layover and I had to catch a metro to go to the other terminal. So it all depends on when your first flight lands.

That is interesting to know that you had a free 2 day stay at Frankfurt. In my case the next flight from SG to BOM is about 12 hours later and hence it may not be that wonderful.

Originally Posted by carboy

I would never book an international stopover less than 90 minutes. 1 hour is good if everything goes right but if even one small thing goes wrong (if your flight reaches 15 minutes late or there is unusual crowding at security check), it would very tight. You don't get off the flight as soon as it lands - it usually takes 15 minutes before you are out. You may also need to do a security check again which may take 15 minutes if there is crowd. If there is also a custom & immigration check (for e.g. you are are going to a country & transferring to a domestic flight to go elsewhere in the country - which is not your case), I keep 2 hours at the minimum.

Corporate policies my friend. I had another option of a 8 hour layover at Changi but from midnight to 7:30 am in the morning. I hope there won't be any delay in my HK to SG flight during return.

Originally Posted by noopster

@sunilch- Not sure why you are doing a stopover for Hong Kong. There are direct flight options (Cathay, Hong Kong Air IIRC) that will get you there for cheaper.

One hour at Changi is usually *just* enough. My flights to and from Auckland last year were like that. But that is because the flights to Middle Earth are few & far between. Hong Kong you have tons of options!

Edit: if you must stop over in Singapore, try getting the 8-hour transit visa and go see the city at least, like Ajmat is suggesting

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

In case you get transit visa, Singapore airport conducts free bus sightseeing tours. You can opt for the same if interested. They have two preset routes.

@noopster and @mpksuhas: Since this is a company (business) trip I had limited options. Cathay has a perfect direct flight for this route with ideal timing as well (Midnight to 9am local HK Time and vice-versa in return) but that is 2x the cost of the SG Airlines flight. Second option was Air India but the timing doesn't match. That flight lands in HK on Monday morning and hence wasn't suitable as the company doesn't want me to lose the productive Monday first half And I can't take the AI flight the night before as that will require changing the travel plan dates which is not acceptable in as per the policies.

For return I had two options with SG Airlines: 1st was the one that I chose. 2nd had a layover of 8 hours starting from midnight till 7:30 am at Changi local time. I have been to SG earlier and hence have seen the city. The only thing that I have not see is the Botanical Garden and I am not sure it that will be open in that time slot. And I just can't accept sitting in the airport lounge at Changi for 8 hours doing nothing but trying to sleep there. I haven't see the Business Class lounge at Changi so I am not sure if we get sleeper chairs or beds there to send the night.

So this the world of strange corporate policies. By title/designation I am entitled Business Class travel and the travel department will not allow me to travel in Economy even if I ask for it - without creating a fuss about it and forcing me to get multi-level approvals from higher ups for the same (I anyways couldn't as this will be my first Business Class travel and I want to experience the same). But I have to choose the cheapest option, even if it is an inconvenient one

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by sunilch

For return I had two options with SG Airlines: 1st was the one that I chose. 2nd had a layover of 8 hours starting from midnight till 7:30 am at Changi local time. I have been to SG earlier and hence have seen the city. The only thing that I have not see is the Botanical Garden and I am not sure it that will be open in that time slot. And I just can't accept sitting in the airport lounge at Changi for 8 hours doing nothing but trying to sleep there. I haven't see the Business Class lounge at Changi so I am not sure if we get sleeper chairs or beds there to send the night.

So this the world of strange corporate policies. By title/designation I am entitled Business Class travel and the travel department will not allow me to travel in Economy even if I ask for it - without creating a fuss about it and forcing me to get multi-level approvals from higher ups for the same (I anyways couldn't as this will be my first Business Class travel and I want to experience the same). But I have to choose the cheapest option, even if it is an inconvenient one

Sounds as if you work for Intel, similar policy!

8 Hour layover! You could get a room for 8 hours

http://www.changiairport.com/en/airp...it-hotels.html

or a snooze room + shower


http://www.changiairport.com/en/airp...e-lounges.html

[dean5545]

Originally Posted by sunilch

That is interesting to know that you had a free 2 day stay at Frankfurt. In my case the next flight from SG to BOM is about 12 hours later and hence it may not be that wonderful.

The 2 free days were at Singapore not Frankfurt. Sorry if I wasn't clear in my previous post.

[1987]

You need not worry, that's plenty time for Changi.

A general rule of thumb is if the airline's accepted your itinerary, then you have enough time, because if you do miss your flight then it's the airline's duty to re-book you and provide you with food and accommodation till your next flight. They try to avoid that under any cost. I once had to catch a flight in Oslo with 30 minutes layover and got held up at immigration. The flight was literally waiting for me 10 minutes past their take off time and I got a few angry stares from other passengers!

If your connection is really tight, there will be someone from the airlines waiting for you at the arrival gate and he will escort you to your departure gate to make sure you are not held up in queues for security check etc.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by 1987

You need not worry, that's plenty time for Changi.

A general rule of thumb is if the airline's accepted your itinerary, then you have enough time, because if you do miss your flight then it's the airline's duty to re-book you and provide you with food and accommodation till your next flight. They try to avoid that under any cost. I once had to catch a flight in Oslo with 30 minutes layover and got held up at immigration. The flight was literally waiting for me 10 minutes past their take off time and I got a few angry stares from other passengers!

And the exact opposite happened to me. I was 5-10 minutes late for gate closure and the flight left without me. I was provided half a day's accommodation & food & also rebooked but I ended up reaching in the night instead of in the morning. This happened in the USA.

[1987]

Originally Posted by carboy

And the exact opposite happened to me. I was 5-10 minutes late for gate closure and the flight left without me. I was provided half a day's accommodation & food & also rebooked but I ended up reaching in the night instead of in the morning. This happened in the USA.

Well US can be a bit special, isn't it!

I will be flying home from Mexico next month and I was booked on a route with a 2 hour layover in Houston, I had to ask the agent to change my flights. Anywhere else in the world 2 hours is enough time to even fit in a quick visit to the duty-free, but you can't be too sure in US.

[ajmat]

One thing to note is that if you have a connecting flight in h States which involves immigration, collecting baggage and paying through customs, you need to give yourself at least 3 hours.

Another place where transfers are dicey is Frankfurt. You need to pass through 2 security checkpoints when transiting from a European flight. One through the airport and one before the flight.

[sairamboko]

Originally Posted by sairamboko

I intend to travel to Jordan, next month end from Bangalore.

1. While going to Jordan, I will be transiting via Dubai, Emirates flight. Do i need to get any visa for layover? Layover would be around 7 hours. Also any ways to kill the time for 7 hours without leaving airport?

I booked Emirates and they are offering this Dubai Connect service for free. Basically an accommodation for my transit. I will be landing around midnight at Dubai and my next flight is at 7:30am. I am just going to take some rest in the hotel , instead of trying to see Dubai as its in the night time.