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Singapore Airlines Connecting Flights


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This is a Singapore Airlines connecting flights guide.

In this guide, you’ll learn more about Singapore Airlines connecting flights, baggage policy, passenger rights and flight compensation regulations in the EU / EEA / UK. Singapore Airlines is the flag carrier  of Singapore. With its hub at Singapore Changi Airport, the airline operates flights to more than 30 countries on five continents. Along with Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines is considered to be one of the best airlines in the world.


Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.


Singapore Airlines Plane
Singapore Airlines plane

1

Is It Protected?

Yes, it’s a protected connection.

Traditional airlines sell airline-protected connecting flights. It’s more convenient and more safe than self-transfer flights. You don’t need a visa for connecting flights like this.

Unless you book flights separately.

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2

Baggage Rules

Airline takes care of your baggage.

Mostly, you will check in baggage only once — you won’t have to recheck baggage for every flight. This is how it works with full-service airlines and airline-protected connecting flights.

Baggage allowance depends on the ticket, destination and occasionally some other factors. 


3

Travel Insurance

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Add travel insurance right away. Protect yourself against possible itinerary changes later right from the very beginning. Insurance must be for the duration of the trip.

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1. Singapore Airlines Connecting Flights

Singapore Airlines is a popular full-service traditional airline.

Being a full-service airline, it offers airline-protected connecting flights. Airline-protected connecting flights are one of the main differences between traditional and low-cost airlines. Such connecting flights are better than self transfers.

Airline-protected connecting flights are:

  • Safer. Your airline takes care of flight problems.
  • More convenient. Baggage transfer is automatic.
  • Easier to book. You book several flights as a single journey.

Yes, Singapore Airlines sells airline-protected connecting flights.

1.1 Connecting Flights, One Airline

You have booked a connecting flight from Singapore Airlines.

In many cases, your connecting flight will be operated only by Singapore Airlines.

It will be serviced by Singapore Airlines planes manned by Singapore Airlines staff. But it’s not always the case with all Singapore Airlines connecting flights. Or all connecting flights, for that matter. Not always connecting flights are operated by one airline. Not anymore.

1.2 Singapore Airlines Codeshare Partners

Sometimes airlines share their flights.

Airlines share their flights to widen the flight network. Thanks to this, airlines can offer flights even to destinations they aren’t servicing. 

So, you have a connecting flight booked from Singapore Airlines, but it could be operated by another airline. You will fly with another airline, on their airplane. Connecting flights with different airlines is nothing unusual. These kind of flights are called codeshare flights, and airlines collaborating — codeshare partners.

What you should know is that:

  • If you miss a connecting flight through no fault of your own, don’t worry. Contact Singapore Airlines to ask for a new ticket (alternate flight). As long as it’s a Singapore Airlines connection booked from Singapore Airlines (they are ‘marketing airline’), they have to get you to your destination. Even if a part of the connecting flight was operated by their partner.
  • If your flight is heavily delayed, cancelled or overbooked, compensation is paid by airline operating this particular flight. If it’s operated by some other airline, not Singapore Airlines, then they are called operating airline — they have to pay compensation when it’s due.

See a list of Singapore Airlines codeshare partners here.

Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore
Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore

2. What If Singapore Airlines Cancels a Flight?

Why is Singapore Airlines cancelling flights?

This could happens due to a number of reasons. The most common are: various technical problems, bad weather, staffing shortages, strikes, air traffic control issues, airport congestion and security issues.

2.1 One of Your Flights Is Cancelled

Singapore Airlines is an airline registered in Singapore.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, the airline must:

  • Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
  • Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their flights departing from Europe.

If you’re going to miss your connecting flight because your previous flight got cancelled or delayed, the airline has to offer you a new flight to your final destination. On flights departing from Europe, you may also opt for a full refund, and, in some cases, you may also have a right to compensation or refund from Singapore Airlines, or both (more on this below).


Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.


2.2 All Your Flights Are Cancelled

Overall, for you as a passenger, the options are the same.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Singapore Airlines must:

  • Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
  • Offer you assistance at the airport if it’s a last-minute cancellation and you are already at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their flights departing from Europe.

Refund must be paid within seven days.

You may have a right to EU flight cancellation compensation.

2.3 Singapore Airlines Refund for Cancellation

On flights departing from Europe, you may ask for a full refund.

It must be paid within seven days. The refund must be transferred to your bank account. You don’t have to accept any vouchers, coupons or miles. Don’t forget that this applies to flights departing from Europe. On other flights, it depends on airline’s policies.

Hong Kong airport layover
Hong Kong airport

3. Singapore Airlines Missed Connecting Flight

Why do people miss their connecting flights?

You could miss a connecting flight because your previous flight was delayed or cancelled. Or you could miss a connection due to a simple mistake like waiting at the wrong gate or confusing am with pm.

3.1 What Happens If You Miss Singapore Airlines Connection?

What if you missed your connection through no fault of your own?

Then you don’t have to worry about this. The airline will give you a new ticket for free. It’s the airline’s responsibility to get you to your destination.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Singapore Airlines must:

  • Take you to your final destination as soon as possible.
  • Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

All of this applies on flights from Europe.

On other routes, they have to at least offer you a new flight.

If you missed your connection due to your own fault — it’s your responsibility.

The airline won’t assist you in this case.

Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay 

3.2 Right to Compensation from Singapore Airlines

Sometimes you have a right to compensation.

If your Singapore Airlines flight:

  • Departs from the EU, EEA or UK
  • Is 3+ hours late at destination, and
  • Is delayed or cancelled due to the fault of the airline

Then you may be entitled to compensation from the airline. This only applies to flights departing from the EU, EEA or UK.

Flight cancelled less than 2 weeks before the trip?

You might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation.

GET FLIGHT COMPENSATION

File a Claim Online

3.3 Right to Care from Singapore Airlines

On Singapore Airlines flights departing from Europe you have a right to care.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:

  • Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
  • Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary.
  • Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
  • Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails. 

In case of Singapore Airlines, the regulation applies only to flights departing from European airports. With European airlines it applies to all flights.


When it comes to air passenger rights, unless otherwise stated, we talk about air passenger rights in the EU, EEA and UK. When we say Europe or European, we mean EU, EEA or UK. This is done for the simplicity, since the according laws in these countries are about the same.


Istanbul Airport
Istanbul Airport

4. How to Book Connecting Flights with Singapore Airlines?

You can do it directly from Singapore Airlines or via a third-party.

Either you visit Singapore Airlines website and book your ticket there, or visit any third-party flight booking website (kiwi.com or edreams.com) and use it to book your ticket. These are two most popular options. When possible, we would recommend you to book directly from the airline. It’s safer.


How to Book?

Airline website (directly).

This is the easiest way to book a connecting flight. It’s also the safest way to book a connection. You make a single booking, have a single reservation code and the booking includes several flights. Sometimes they are all with one airline, other times – two or more. Anyway, in this case, you can be 100% sure that you have a proper connecting flight.

Other Option

Flight booking websites.

Few examples: skyscanner.net, expedia.com, momondo.com.

Pay attention to the details. Because some of these sites are only search engines, and sellers are other websites. Apart from that, they often sell both airline-protected connecting flights and self-transfer flights. If it’s a self-transfer, know that it comes with its own risks, and there are things you should take into account. Self-transfer is not the same thing as airline-protected transfer. 

For extra protection, buy also a travel insurance covering flight disruptions, or book with sites like kiwi.com, who offer extra protection.

With kiwi.com you are more protected than normally.


Read more: How to Book Connecting Flights?

Two backpacks

5. Singapore Airlines Connecting Flights: Baggage

Since Singapore Airlines is a traditional airline, everything’s very easy.

Baggage rules on connecting flights with Singapore Airlines are simple.

In short, Singapore Airlines takes care of your baggage. Check in your bag before your first flight. The airline will take care of the rest. In most cases, you won’t have to collect and recheck your bag between flights. Unless you have a self-transfer (separately booked flights), or you’re traveling through a country that requires everyone to collect and recheck their baggage between flights (example — the USA).

If you aren’t sure ask the staff when checking in your bag.

5.1 Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines

What happens if there are several airlines?

What if one of your flights is operated by different airline, not Singapore Airlines? As we already talked, you may experience this, because Singapore Airlines does share some of its flights with its codeshare partners. In this situation the rules are the same — your baggage is being taken care of by an airline. In most situations you won’t have to worry about it.

Read more: 

5.2 Singapore Airlines Free Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance varies — it’s not the same on all flights.

Mostly it depends on:

  1. The airline;
  2. Destination;
  3. Travel class;
  4. Ticket type.

Check your Singapore Airlines booking confirmation to see, what have you booked for yourself. 

Or, if you’re planning to book a flight with Singapore Airlines, make sure to pay attention to that — these rules aren’t the same for all flights and ticket types. You can see the baggage allowance when choosing travel class and ticket type.

5.3 Economy Light

This is the cheapest option for long-haul flights.

Economy Light comes without free baggage allowance.

We see this all across the industry. Full-service traditional airlines are offering also tickets without free checked baggage allowance. The wording is also often the same — Economy Light. So, if you see this, most likely it’s without checked baggage (carry on baggage only). 

Singapore Airlines also offers Economy Light tickets. Unlike with some other airlines, free baggage allowance is included in this fare. However, the baggage policy can change. So, make sure you check what is included in the fare, at the time when you are making a booking.

Buildings in Krakow
Buildings in Krakow, Poland – Photo by Robert Stokoe

6. Connecting Flight Examples

Here are two connecting flight examples with Singapore Airlines.

6.1 Protected Connecting Flights with Singapore Airlines (Most Common)

For this example I’ll use the website of Singapore Airlines.

Let’s assume that you want to fly from Singapore to Berlin.

You have found flights for November 3, and these are the options:

Singapore - Berlin Connecting Flight with Singapore Airlines
Singapore – Berlin connecting flight with Singapore Airlines

On their website Singapore Airlines sells only protected connecting flights. However, as we can see, not all  of the flights are operated by Singapore Airlines. For example, the first option is partly operated by Lufthansa, one of Singapore Airlines partners. There are two flights: Singapore – Munich and Munich – Berlin. The first leg is operated by Singapore Airlines, but the second – by Lufthansa.

Also pay attention to total flight duration, number of stops and price.

All connecting flights in this example have only one stop.

But it’s not always the case. 

*The prices in the example are in Singapore Dollars (SGD).

6.2 Self-Transfer Flights with Singapore Airlines

But what if Berlin is not your final destination?

What if after spending a couple of days in Berlin you want to travel to Krakow?

  1. You can book a connecting flight to Berlin, like in the example above. For example, you’re taking one of the cheapest options, the first one, which arrives in Berlin at 9:10 am. 
  2. And then you go to kiwi.com, or some other flight booking website, and book a flight from Berlin to Krakow. Leaving yourself, let’s say, 30 hours in Berlin. There are cheap Ryanair flights from Berlin to Krakow. You can go directly to Ryanair.com to book cheap flights in Europe.

Your flight from Singapore to Berlin is airline-protected. This means that you are protected against flight disruptions. If your first flight is delayed or cancelled, Singapore Airlines will put you on another flight for free. However, the last leg of your journey, Berlin – Krakow, includes a self-transfer layover (a stopover).

When booking such a flight, keep in mind that the last leg is separate. You will need to check in for that flight separately, as well as collect and check in your baggage. So, allow yourself plenty of time for this.

What is your experience with Singapore Airlines? Have you ever missed a connecting flight with Singapore Airlines? How did the airline solve this? Did you receive compensation from Singapore Airlines?

Featured photo by Md. Shaifuzzaman Ayon

About the author:

Co-founder and Editor at Connecting Flights Guide

Una is an organized globetrotter and foodie who’s been living a digital nomad lifestyle since 2013. She always starts her day early with a good book before diving into work. Apart from traveling and aviation, her other passions include gym, hiking and cycling. Una is also a strong proponent of AI technology. She firmly believes in its potential to simplify life and has often advocated for its wider adoption in our day-to-day activities. Her favorite airlines are Qatar Airways, Emirates, and KLM.

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Connecting Flights Guide

Your go-to guide to air travel rules and regulations. Connecting flights, self transfer, onward tickets and more – we want you to understand air travel better


This article may contain compensated links. Learn more in our disclaimer.



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