The Greatest Airport in The World

Travel doesn’t always go to plan. Things are late. People fuck up. Food is bad. Sometimes you arrive at the airport a day late for your flight. Shit happens.

I was happy to get into Singapore without a hitch. My last stop before going on a working holiday to Australia. At immigration, seeing all the signs saying that there was the death penalty for importing drugs, made me question how much I trusted the street vendor in Malaysia who I bought funny scented incense off. But there were no problems, I kept my eyes down going through customs. I spent 3 days in Singapore, visiting the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia on Sentosa Island (disputed), the Botanic Gardens (Beautiful), and the light show at the Marina Bay Sands(Impressive). The ultra efficient, driverless metro blew me away. On the second last day, I met a sound British lad coming back from his 2 years working holiday in Australia in the hostel. He gave me a quick rundown on things to do and avoid, where to go, and even paid for dinner “Ah you’ll return the favour to someone someday, I was broke going to Aus”. And I fully intend to.

My flight was booked to depart at 12:15am on the 16th December, Scoot Airlines, Singapore to Sydney. The day before, in my accommodation on the 15th December, I thought about checking in for my flight. Nah be grand, I’ve to check in a bag anyways, I can do the checkin at the desk.

Rock up to the check-in desk 3 hours before the flight, at 9:00pm. Hand over my passport, put my bag on the carousel. I’m excited to be heading to Australia on a working holiday, to meet my brother for Christmas, after 3 months in South East Asia. The check-in girl seems to take a long time.

“I’m sorry sir, you don’t appear to be on this flight.”

That can’t be right. I show her the confirmation on my phone. She agrees, and checks again.

“Sir, you’re not coming up on our computer system.”.

Looking at the flight tickets again, it dawns on us simultaneously. 12:15AM on the 16th of December is before 9:00PM on the 16th of December. Balls. Caught out by date change at midnight. It’s a horrible, sinking feeling to know that you’ve missed a flight. Especially long haul. She asks me to move on.

After a few moments of panic, I decide to try the check-in desk again. But at the desk, it’s apparent that there’s no way I’m making it on this flight, it’s fully booked. So I tell Dermot I’m not arriving the next morning, and start checking flights. In Ireland, my other brother John looks up a few for me - there’s a 4pm flight tomorrow, British Airways, Singapore to Sydney. €450. Uuuff. The student in me feels that. Has to be done. So I’ve 16 hours to kill in Singapore airport, and I’m half a grand worse off than an hour ago. I’ve spent a few days in the city already, and with the price of getting in, getting accommodation.. I say I’ll leave it.

Luckily, there's no better airport in the world to be stuck in. Singapore Changi airport is an attraction in itself, and ahead of its time in 2015. In Terminal 3, there’s a slide that goes down 4 stories. Unfortunately closed when I arrive, and closed for adults in general. I stay in that terminal for the night, looking for a quiet set of seats to snooze on with my bags. It’s tough to find anywhere discreet, and it’s loud on the main throughfairs. After a few hours lying on my backpack, clutching my carryon, listening to people walk by, I break, and go for the terminal hotel. At 3am, it’s €20 euro for 4 hours in a bed. Not a bad deal, that will get me through until morning. I take it and have a great sleep. I go to the British Airways counter 10 hours before my flight to plead my case.

“Of course Sir, that’s no problem. You can check in your luggage and go airside.”.

Say what you want about the Brits, but that’s good service.

In Terminal 2, there’s a butterfly Garden and the train through the waterfall in the Jewel, 7 stories high. Terminal 2 also has a pool, gym and massage chairs on the airside. And a free cinema. And a mad selection of shops that I’ve never seen before and refused to spend money in. It’s a great place to pass 9 hours. The gym and pool area, with sun loungers, where you could watch planes take off and land was a great spot to spend a few hours. And try to get some bit of shape back after 3 months of buckets. Then massage chairs and a movie theater. And to top it all off, because I got the flight so late, I got a front row seat for the 8 hours flight to Sydney. All the leg room in the world. Winning.