Next up in my Australia trip report is a review of the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge in Seoul Incheon. But that seems almost pointless considering Singapore unexpectedly shut down the lounge last month. Instead, let’s focus on the reason behind the closure.
The KrisFlyer lounge was starting to show its age even when was I was there, but still represented a fairly nice lounge. It included plenty of seating, hot and cold meal choices, restrooms and showers.
But on January 18, 2018 it was closed…until further notice. Singapore Airlines issued this statement:
As part of Seoul Incheon International Airport’s redevelopment plan, Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge at Seoul Incheon International Airport will be closed until further notice starting from 18 January 2018 after flight SQ007 departs from Incheon to Singapore on 18 January 2018.
During the closure period, Singapore Airlines’ Business Class, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members as well as Star Alliance Gold members travelling on SIA flights will be invited to the Asiana Business Class Lounge. First Class Customers will be invited to the Asiana First Class Lounge.
The good news is that this does not appear to be a permanent closure. Then again, that may be Singapore’s polite way of saying the lounge will not re-open.
Last fall, Singapore Airlines closed its SFO lounge using similar wording—
The Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in San Francisco will be closed for renovations starting from 01 October 2017. As part of the renovations, Singapore Airlines will begin a transition to a newly constructed, shared lounge facility operated by our Star Alliance partner, United Airlines. It is scheduled to open in early 2018.
“Closed for renovations” implies it will be opened after renovations, but United Airlines took over the space and is converting the lounge into a brand new Polaris Lounge. (It won’t open in early 2018…)
CONCLUSION
Although Singapore Airlines operates four wide body flights per day from Seoul, don’t forget that SQ15 (San Francisco to Singapore) no longer stops in Seoul. This reduced premium traffic by 20-25% at ICN. And while the Asiana lounges are not the best, it makes perfect sense why Singapore Airlines would just direct their customers to a large Star Alliance lounge nearby rather than continue to maintain their own lounge.
I think SQ moved to a new concourse, so the lounge was no longer in the right place. Though as you say – with less traffic and a decent partner option, may be a good opportunity for them to remove it from the market anyway
I visited this lounge on the way from LAX to Singapore last year. It was a nice option during a short late-night layover on SQ. I do hope the employees found employment elsewhere in the airport.
The Asiana Business Class lounge is better than nothing, but is less cozy than this lounge was.
I visited the new Silverkris Incheon lounge
in Oct 2019 and it’s stunning. Just so that readers know it’s reopened.