I’m not a fan of airports and plane rides in general. But, I know those things are necessary to my short (sometimes longer) term happiness. Saying that, of all the airports I have been to, Singapore Changi Airport remains my favourite. And Singapore is the hub of South East Asia; it’s also my most frequented airport. It is convenient, efficiently operated, and easy to navigate, putting my fear of flying grumpy ass at ease.
In many ways, Singapore Changi Airport feels like a giant mall, better than most malls I have been to.
Each terminal has attractions, from the butterfly park to a movie theatre. Terminal 2 features a Koi pond and a kids’ art section.
The airport bookstore usually is my first stop at any airport after passing the immigration. It is where I stock up my Oprah, UK Glamour and teen magazines before flying.
Singapore Changi Airport constantly finds ways to enrich visitors’ experience with things representing Singapore. For example, when Kai Kai and Jia Jia first came to Singapore, a rainforest stall sold all panda items. It was so damn cute. Also, during Lunar New Year, the fortune God and a red-robed monkey walked around and gave away gold coin chocolates.
They also kept adding interactive spots to it. For example, Singapore Changi Airport has the Social Tree in Terminal 1 and this e-postcard corner in Terminal 2. Though it’s as essential as it looked, please take a picture which would show on the screen, it’s a fun thing to spend our idle time on.
The vending machines were another semi-new addition at the airport. One of them was pretty unusual, called Travel Essentials/Surprise. It sold travel necessities, including a lock, Changi Airport postcard and toiletries. The exciting part of it was, of course, the surprise option. The last I was there, I put in $2 and pressed the surprise button. A shower cap came out. Unsatisfied with the result, we did it again. Another shower cap came out. Damn! I was hoping for a round-trip ticket to Europe. It also had the option to donate to charity.
With all the great things Changi Airport offers, it’s also a landmine for my wallet. I feel emotionally less guarded during my travels, especially in the airport. I am either in my pre-travel high or post-travel blue; both resulted in impulse buying.
I and everyone who had travelled together had bought something from the Duty-Free Shop, a Pandora charm or a MacBook. But I can’t honestly say that I feel guilty about it. Sometimes, even with time constraints, I score a good bargain there. The latest one is Bobbi Brown’s Burn Red lipstick; it’s cheaper than the price in the city.
Changi Airport waiting rooms are terrific for plenty of reasons. They are huge, with many charging stations, a TV, a phone with free local call service, drinking water and a computer with fast internet access. If I have ever been stranded in the airport, ala Tom Hanks in The Terminal, dear God, let it be at Singapore Changi Airport.
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