Late in the afternoon it was time for us to get ready for our flight back to Manila, Philippines. We arrived at the Singapore Airport Budget Terminal about 3 hours before our scheduled departure. The Budget Terminal is a 25,000 square metres single-storey terminal, which comprises two adjacent areas for departure and arrival.

The airport Check in Hall has airline service counter, AXS machine, baggage weighing machine, children's play area, custom inspection for GST Refund, lost and found / left baggage counter, POSB automated teller machine, post box and public phones. For those who are a bit hungry, you can grab a bite at Han's Café and Bakery.


There are two GST refund operators in the Budget Terminal, namely Global Refund and Premier Tax Free. These are for visitors to Singapore, who are entiled to claim back the Goods and Services Tax (GST) paid on their purchases when they take them home. A 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied on most goods and services. One needs to spend S$ 100 or more to qualify for the refunds. Since we were too early at that time, hubby went first to the Customs officer who is located in the check in hall for GST refund. He just showed the goods together with the refund cheque / voucher, receipts and passport.

After checking-in, we entered the Departure Lounge (Restricted Area). The lounge has a free internet kiosks, free laptop access, free local calls, GST Refund Agencies - Global Refund & Premier Tax Free, money changer, outdoor smoking terrace, prayer room, POSB automated teller machine, post box and TV lounge - Channel 5 and Channel NewsAsia.


There are mixes of retail and F&B outlets at the departure lounge of the Budget Terminal such as DFS (liquor and tobacco), Nuance-Watson (perfumes & cosmetics), King Power (chocolate, candy and delicatessen), Carlo Rino and Hang Ten (fashion apparel & accessories), Times Newslink (books, magazines, & stationery), Mini Toons and Gifts & Accessories by International Gifts & Costume Jewellery Pte Ltd (gifts), King Power (general merchandise), Sports Connection (sporting goods), a mini mart 7-Eleven, Genki Sushi, O'Briens, Killiney Kopitiam and Polar Puffs and Cakes.