(This is a Continuation of “Trip Report – A Private Jet Experience: Alone in First Class on ANA and Thai, Plus Singapore First, a Suite, a Villa, and Some Incredible Food Porn”)
My wife’s parents are taking a cruise next month in Asia, and they begin their trip in Singapore. They’re not seasoned international travelers and I’ve wanted everything to go as smoothly for them as possible.
I have them booked in Cathay Pacific First Class to Singapore via Hong Kong using Alaska Airlines miles, and decided to have them picked up and taken to their hotel, the Intercontinental Singapore. I chose the Intercontinental because the best bang for buck for someone without status, at least when I booked for them, was the Intercontinental friends and family rate for a club level room.
Now, if there’s any airport where arrival assistance is thoroughly unnecessary it’s Singapore. It’s a fabulous airport, signage is good, I’ve never seem daunting lines there. And for an American, everything is in English…
And yet for their first city in Asia I thought it would be a nice touch. And since I hadn’t ever used the pickup service, I thought I’d do it for myself just to be able to tell them about it.
Arranging the service through the Intercontinental, where I was staying as well, was cheaper than booking directly with JetQuay. The cost was SGD $150 for the two of us to be picked up by golf cart upon deplaning, taken to the private JetQuay terminal, processed through private immigration, and driven by Mercedes transfer to the hotel. Not cheap, and perhaps unnecessary, but not unreasonable for the service offered.
As we deplaned off of our Singapore Airlines flight there was a golf cart waiting for us.
The JetQuay representative took our carry on bags and loaded them into the back of the cart. He took our baggage claim tags and radioed them in to make sure they would have our bags collected on arrival. We hopped onto the cart, and we were off — on our way across the entire airport to the JetQuay terminal.
It was probably a 10 minute drive to the other end of the airport, and we arrived at their facility.
A moment later an immigration official appeared to take our passports, stamped us right away, and we were led downstairs into the JetQuay facility.
We had a seat while our luggage was rounded up and put into our vehicle, which was brought around front. They brought us a drink of choice (again, I just wanted some water). I looked around, the buffet area was extremely limited. It was just a couple of monthsminutes, and we were taken to our car and on to the hotel.
Again, would I do this a second time? Not at the Singapore airport, it took as long to drive on the golf cart as it probably would have to walk to immigration, landing where we did. And the Singapore airport is just easy. But it’s still nice to be met and assisted after a full day of flying, even when that day of flying is in ANA and Singapore first class.
Months?
fixed.
I find it strange that they would not offer any decent food. That makes it a no-brainer to skip this especially for departure, in favour of a ‘regular’ lounge, particularly the SQ F one….
Still, when arriving near Midnight after flying for xxx hours on UA, it could be a very welcome service for many people.
Yes, well, we all still >>have<< to try this no matter what… 😉
Is there a similar JetQuay type pickup service at HKG?
Does anyone know if Singapore First provides any meet and greet upon departing the plane, or do you need to arrange that with a hotel or a private company like the JetQuay mentioned? Also, if you arrange with the hotel or a private company like JetQuay, does that automatically include the transportation to the hotel? Unless it’s my age, SGD $150 for two of us to be picked up by golf cart upon deplaning, taken to a private JetQuay terminal, processed through private immigration, and driven by Mercedes transfer to the hotel sounds like a bargain after a 17 hour flight. What am I missing? Any advice from you youngsters would be much appreciated.