Checking Out Singapore Airport : Terminal 3

So, I had a business trip to Singapore today to meet a client of mine. Having checked-in to the airline counter, I was informed that we would be embarking at the new terminal 3 of Singapore Airport.

Since when did Singapore upgraded its airport? Hadn't heard anything about it or perhaps I was mindlessly clueless in my little world here. Anyways, I thought that was cool. Another thing to check out in this metropolitan city.

So, just barely 2 days after its opening on the 9th of January, we flew in on Singapore Airlines and landed at a welcome sight, greeted by a new aerobridge which connects to the terminal building. My clickity clackity steps on the initial marble floor was immediately replaced by soft steps on thick luxurious carpet.

Now for any airport out there thinking about renovating, that's HOW you make your airport comfortable. I did not think the colour scheme of simple grey and black stripes work very well, but it still beat any of the other many "cold" airport which I've been to.

Anyways, contemporary use of fonts and minimalism, suddenly seems to be curiously cosy here. With the shops designed to be larger that your normal "stall-like" size in many other airport retail lounges, the ambience presents one of the interior of a shopping mall.

In fact, I do think for this fact alone, may arise multiple incidents of people forgetting they are in an airport and that they suppose to be boarding their flights!

Anyway, the designs are top class. The ceiling design did remind me a little about the louvered external facade of the Singapore Philharmonic hall, the "Durian". Of course if that was to be done on purpose, then kudos for consistent "Singaporean" designs... ;-)

Though it's new and grand in personality, Terminal 3 is nowhere near the size and trafifc that aiports like Icheon in Korea and Hong Kong. But, perhaps this fact also helps to focus in on quality rather than of mass retail outlets without any proper planning.

Let's see if any other regional airport would be willing to up the ante after this lesson in putting together the right airport retail formula... ;-)