Changi overnight and luggage

I'm travelling through Singapore on the way to Manado, requiring an overnight (8 hr) layover in Singapore. I booked the transit hotel in Changi airport, however the confirmation email says not to go through customs and collect my baggage. However, I'm flying a different airline to Manado so I have to collect my baggage so I can check it with the other airline. How do I accomplish this? Do I have to go through customs, get my bags, then somehow come back through to the transit area? Or am I stuck having to stay outside the airport somewhere? This is my first trip through this area, so I need some help with this. Any tips would be appreciated.

Hi Natalie,

If you're flying Singapore Air connecting to Silk Air, they are essentially the same (Silk is Singapore's "regional" arm) and they will check your bags through to Manado when you check in. If it's another combination of carriers, most airlines have baggage share agreements and again, you simply check your bags through to Manado when you embark. Easy.

Also, check which terminal your transit hotel is in - there are 3. I forget if you come in through terminal 1 or 3, I just know you're outbound to Manado will leave from terminal 2. Easy to hop from one terminal to the other on the connecting trains. You will love flying through Changi. It's what all airports should aspire to IMHO.

Have a great trip!

Phil

I'm travelling through Singapore on the way to Manado, requiring an overnight (8 hr) layover in Singapore. I booked the transit hotel in Changi airport, however the confirmation email says not to go through customs and collect my baggage. However, I'm flying a different airline to Manado so I have to collect my baggage so I can check it with the other airline.

Natalie,

What airline are you flying to Singapore? There are many airlines that do not have a baggage agreement with Silk Air (to Manado).

If you are flying into Singapore on an airline that does have an agreement with Silk Air, you should check your bags from your departure airport all the way through to Manado if at all possible.

If you are flying into Singapore on an airline that does not have an agreement with Silk Air, you will have to exit the transit area, go through immigration, pick up your bags, go through customs and then you are outside the transit area. Once outside the transit area you will not be able to get back in and to the transit hotel until you have checked your bags with Silk Air. If you arrive at night, Silk counters may not be open to check your bags. Plus Silk, even if open, may not check your bags until 2-3 hours before your flight to Manado.

Note that if you do not check your bags all the way to Manado you may also have to pay excess baggage charges for more than 20kg on Silk Air.

One really has to think about these things when purchasing air tickets. Sometimes the cheapest ticket really isn't the cheapest overall cost.

As Phil said, if you are on Singapore Airlines connecting to Silk Air, it is no problem. Check your bags all the way through to Manado, stay in the transit area. The hotels are easy to find. Your reservation email will tell you which terminal.

BTW, it is better to be inside the transit area than at the airport outside the transit area where there is nearly nothing. No free Internet, few places to eat, an expensive hotel I call the "black hole" and not even comfortable places to sit.

Due to a Singapore Airlines error (in April 2009 -- they cancelled my flight to Manado and gave me incorrect info on the phone and at IAH) I had to pick up my bags from a Singapore Airlines flight in Singapore on the way to Manado. SQ did put me up in the "black hole" but it was a huge PITA. I arrived at 5am, was at the hotel by 7:30am (long lines at immigration), could not check in to the black hole until 3pm. Silk would not take my bags until 3 hours before the flight to Manado. Otherwise I would have checked them in and gone to the transit hotel. Exiting the transit area requires going though immigration and customs, which can mean an hour or more standing in line.

FYI, many of the USA airlines will not handle delayed baggage coming from Indonesian airlines. Singapore Airlines will. Something else to think about when choosing tickets. If a bag is delayed, the US carrier may refuse to take it on from Singapore to the USA.

More than you wanted to know.... but something I think about every time I book flights for divers in my groups.

DebF

Thanks; I'm flying Air Canada to Singapore, so I guess I'm stuck having to stay off-airport.

Not necessarily. Give Air Canada a call and see if you can check your bag all the way through. Like Deb says, much easier...

Phil

I already did; they said there is no way they could do that

That may work in your favor. Checking the bags all the way instead of checking in on each flight you're on increases your chance of getting a mislaid bag or 3. Changi is great but even CAAS messes up once in a while. My priority bags was put on the flight via Tokyo while I was taking the direct flight to LAX just a couple of months ago.

If you must check it all the way, you may wish to check if you can check your bags all the way AT THE AIRPORT. Air Canada flights are code-shared on SIA flights. It may not be an issue once you're at the airport.

FYI, Silkair is in Terminal 2 and is open from 0530-1930. You can check your bags 24 hours before. Depending on whether you arrive in T2 or 3, it's a bit of a hike as T2 and 3 and on the opposite ends of the airport. Take the LRT across.

Thanks for the info; my flight arrives in Singapore at 23:30 so I guess I'm out of luck on the way there. On the way back that'll work because my flight gets into Singapore at around 17:30.

That may work in your favor. Checking the bags all the way instead of checking in on each flight you're on increases your chance of getting a mislaid bag or 3. Changi is great but even CAAS messes up once in a while. My priority bags was put on the flight via Tokyo while I was taking the direct flight to LAX just a couple of months ago.

If you must check it all the way, you may wish to check if you can check your bags all the way AT THE AIRPORT. Air Canada flights are code-shared on SIA flights. It may not be an issue once you're at the airport.

 

FYI, Silkair is in Terminal 2 and is open from 0530-1930. You can check your bags 24 hours before. Depending on whether you arrive in T2 or 3, it's a bit of a hike as T2 and 3 and on the opposite ends of the airport. Take the LRT across.

The first time we did this route, a guy in customs let us go back through with our luggage and we stayed at the transit hotel.

The second time, things had changed and we couldn't get through. We went to the Silk Air check in, but were told it was closed (well after midnight). There were still some staff there and finally one of them came over and told us they would check us in. We then went back in and stayed in the lounge across from the Transit hotel. You pay by the hour for the lounge and a shower. You can also rent sleeping rooms.

If we hadn't been able to check our bags, we were ready to drag them to a lounge area near check-in and hang out until they opened in the morning, about 4-5 hours.

The last time we flew Singapore through Moscow, so our bags were checked through. I'd rather haul my luggage by foot around all of Singapore than go through Moscow again.

The first time we did this route, a guy in customs let us go back through with our luggage and we stayed at the transit hotel.

 

The second time, things had changed and we couldn't get through. ...

 

The last time we flew Singapore through Moscow, so our bags were checked through. I'd rather haul my luggage by foot around all of Singapore than go through Moscow again.

I went through Moscow in April & May, was fine. Much better than going through LAX. However Houston was REALLY bad.

Natalie,

Drew had a good point. Go ahead and TRY to get your bags checked through to Manado. These days news you get on the phone is suspect. No one seems to know what the rules really are.

Unless you have 2-3 days in Singapore to spend waiting for delayed bags, I would always check bags through to the final destination (Manado). If your bags are delayed and they don't appear in Singapore, since they are not tagged to Manado, it is highly likely they will never be sent on and will be waiting in Singapore for you to collect on your return. However if they ARE tagged to Manado very likely they will get there, even if a day or 2 late.

DebF

I have checked my bags from NYC to Manado starting on Northwest and connecting to SilkAir. I just showed the ticket agent in NYC my itinerary from SIN-Manado and she put it on the tag. I don't think it matters much in Changi if there is an interline arrangement or not, as the transit desk always take your bag tag numbers and somehow finds them in the Changi system... Heck I even did the bag transfer for Philippines Air to Air NuiGini once, and it very likely neither of those airlines has the interline arrangement!

Do not stress, just have your Air Canada ticket counter agent put your final destination on your bag tag all the way to Manado. Then when you arrive, go to the Transit hotel. Leave yourself time to visit the transit desk for SilkAir prior to your flight to get your bags transferred over and they will give you the boarding passes. Do have your baggage tickets ready for the transit desk as they will need them.

I totally agree with everyone, Changi has got to be the best airport!

Air Canada will not check through bags unless there is one ticket, with Manado listed as the final destination. As Natalie has two separate bookings, they will not check all the way through. I have just done the same itinerary (on points to Singapore, and online ticket on Silk Air), and since Singapore Airlines canceled their Vancouver flights, this is what we face. There is no longer a code share on the Vancouver to Asia segment. No amount of begging or pleading works. Emails, phone calls, far in advance to both Air Canada and Singapore etc did no good. Silkair is not part of the Star Alliance, and Canadian law concerning baggage checking will not allow otherwise. I even tried to arrange claiming my bags in Narita (where the Singapore Airlines segment begins, and rechecking them to Manado, and they wouldn't allow that either. You might be able to get them checked through at Narita (yes, they were able to find my bags...it was impressive) by asking the transit desk, and get a boarding pass issued, but they were not terribly efficient at the transfer desk. It all depends on whether there are flight delays. In the end, they decided not to issue a boarding pass, and I had to pick up my bags and pass immigration and customs. It's a shame, but at least The Crowne Plaza has comfortable beds....which it should given the cost for a six or seven hour nap. The other alternative is the Changi Village Hotel; it has a free shuttle, but it's probably not running at that hour. The cost is of course more than the handy Transit hotel, and you would have to pay for a cab. If you had one ticket with different airlines on each segment, it might be possible, but having had bags not transferred in the past, why take the chance?

It used to be so easy...in a year things changed a lot...except how great Changi Airport is...it is still #1 for me.

Have a great trip, Natalie!

Marli

Thanks Marli! I guess I'll have to stay at the Crowne Plaza and see how things play out on the way home. I may yet get to experience the great Changi Airport!

Just returned today from LAX/Manado/Lax

Sing Air Lax did not weight our carry ons; but did note that one bag was 1/2 kg over weight!

Stayed at Changi Transit Hotel, Terminal 3. It was filled and there were stand by's waiting for no-shows to get their rooms.

There is a "Transit Lounge" next to the hotel where for S$30 you can go in for 5 hours, including snacks and a shower. Good alternative if you do not have a room.

Manado did not weight our carry ons. Checked bags were over a little due to wet gear - no problem.

Water at KBR is 86* and Bunaken at 84/86* One thermocline droped to 79* - WOW!!

Allan

I came back from PNG and surprise, surprise, the Air Nuigini flight to Singapore was very delayed. I had to run from one Ternimal to another to get a Malaysian flight to KL. (Don't ask!) I had 20 minutes to do it. I made the connection with a lot of sweat and puffing and blowing and reflected that if any airport could get my bags (checked all the way to London) transferred in such quick time, it was Changi. My bags were waiting for me on the belt at London.

Changi has never let me down...then I went to the Caribbean...

A lot of useful info in this thread. On my way back from Manado I have a layover from 5PM to 9 AM. Is it worth going into the city? Or is a better option just to save some $ and stay in the transit hotel?

Thanks,

Mike

I've been through several times - after once staying in the city I now always use the transit hotel for any stopovers less than 16 hours.

There is nothing wrong with the city, but the extra time and hassle with baggage & transport means I won't leave the airport unless it's a stopover for a full day or more.

Now all I need to do is remember to handcarry my swim gear so I can use the pool as well!