AF and EK operating out of T3 ?

[MAN Flyer]

Both are still listed as operating from T1 on Changi's website but our SQ328 last night went from B9 and as I walked past B7 I saw an AF A380 was boarding to operate their flight to CDG and there was an EK bird at B10.

Was this some freakish one off or is this something that regularly happens ?. Asking for a lot of confusion amongst pax, even if those gates are close to T1, and would explain why there was a number of ground staff wondering around that part of Changi with boards asking for pax on the AF flight.

[sqdazz]

ek was using t1 on Thursday but I did notice AF at those high B gates on that day too.

[scooby5]

My parents came in from Paris a week or so ago, to T1 but that wasn't their A380 either.

[ek&sq]

I've seen EK frequently use the high B gates, especially last year when they had 4 flights departing in a period of 3 hours. There probably isn't enough space in the C pier to accommodate QF, BA and EK ops, all of whom have departures concentrated at around 11pm, so that should explain the spillover to T3.

AF is new though.. Maybe a lack of A380 gates at T1?

[viraj735]

To add to the confusion i've had my 9W flight park at C20 instead of at T3

[wsssaero]

It used to be quite common for EK to be assigned gates B9 and B10 at T3, particularly during the T1 renovation where some gates were closed. Seems like recently the spillover to T3 has started again, and it's obviously something planned to happen sometimes as at T1 there are even signs for gates B8-B10.

B7 is the closest A380 gate to T1 so that probably has to be used if all the A380 gates at T1 are full.

Similarly on the other side of the terminal I've seen T1 airlines use gates E27-E28 at T2 as well.

[MAN Flyer]

There probably isn't enough space in the C pier to accommodate QF, BA and EK ops, all of whom have departures concentrated at around 11pm, so that should explain the spillover to T3.

AF is new though.. Maybe a lack of A380 gates at T1?

B7 is the closest A380 gate to T1 so that probably has to be used if all the A380 gates at T1 are full.

That would explain it but are they really short of A380 gates in T1, how many 380 gates are there?. Not being prepared for more A380 flights arriving seems very un-Changi like (waits for a response here...) as I remember them prepping numerous gates in T2 way in advance of SQ's arriving. I suppose QF shortly swapping SIN for DXB will alleviate this problem somewhat...

I landed a couple of days earlier on SQ232 from SYD, we docked at B3 and there was an EK 380 at B4, although the lack of a jetway attached seemed to show it was just 'stored' there.

[SQGamespeed]

I've seen EK frequently use the high B gates, especially last year when they had 4 flights departing in a period of 3 hours. There probably isn't enough space in the C pier to accommodate QF, BA and EK ops, all of whom have departures concentrated at around 11pm, so that should explain the spillover to T3.

AF is new though.. Maybe a lack of A380 gates at T1?

I have almost always seen EK, QF, BA, and AF using the C pier. I don't think I have seen them the D gates at all, even during their night departure peak. Do these airlines have fixed allocation for the C gates? I feel that if their gate assignments were more flexible, the spillover from T1 could be reduced, at least for non-A380 gates.

To add to the confusion i've had my 9W flight park at C20 instead of at T3

Wow!

I have seen 9W use C1 pretty often though.

So did the ground staff direct pax to T3 for for immigration and baggage?

[flying.monkeyz]

CAG needs to build T5 now.

[viraj735]

I have seen 9W use C1 pretty often though.

So did the ground staff direct pax to T3 for for immigration and baggage?

Yes, there was numerous staff directing us towards the T1-T3 sky train. Bizarre.

[ycp81]

EK A380 parked at T3 (high B gates) yesterday night as well.

[wsssaero]

I have almost always seen EK, QF, BA, and AF using the C pier. I don't think I have seen them the D gates at all, even during their night departure peak. Do these airlines have fixed allocation for the C gates? I feel that if their gate assignments were more flexible, the spillover from T1 could be reduced, at least for non-A380 gates.

EK, QF and BA are always assigned the C-pier while AF alternates between C and D pier. Gates D46 and D49 on the D side are A380 gates.

That would explain it but are they really short of A380 gates in T1, how many 380 gates are there?.

C23, C25, C26, D46 and D49, so that makes 5.

[boing]

9W 12 has been consistently arriving at C1 for the past few months. At times, it's towed to C26 or C18 till its departure.
EK A380 is berthed at B7 as a remote stand till its departure, where its then towed back to T1. T1 is currently short of 2 bays as D46 and D47 are undergoing repavement works.

EK, and at times, BA and QF are allocated B9 or B10 during the late evenings due to lack of bays at T1. Guess the close proximity to their passenger lounges and transfer desks gives them "rights" over the C pier.

On the other hand, SQ A345 arrivals have been parking at D40 and D41 in the early morning the past few weeks. The contrasting peak periods of the different termainals forces CAG to park planes at the neighboring terminals. Some late T2 arrivals( TR and MH nightsop) get remote bays due to lack of bays at T2.

[Kyo]

Interesting to hear D41 being used for the A345... as far as I'm aware they like to pop AK in there

[MAN Flyer]

C23, C25, C26, D46 and D49, so that makes 5.

And how many 380 flights are due in the evening at the moment ?