Five more airlines to operate from Changi’s Terminal 4

SINGAPORE — Five more airlines were announced today (July 9) to operate from Singapore Changi’s Terminal 4 when it opens to passengers in the second half of 2017.

Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines and the AirAsia group, including AirAsia Berhad, Indonesia AirAsia and Thai AirAsia, will move their operations from other terminals to the new hub, which expects the movement of 8 to 10 million passengers in the initial period of operations.

Currently, these airlines operate almost 800 flights per week and carried collectively seven million passengers last year. They will be joining Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, which announced its move in 2014.

Changi Airport Group said the terminal’s design focuses on the experience of the passenger, making the check-in and boarding process fast, seamless and automated.

The aim will be to ensure an improved travel experience for passengers by allowing options for wider in-terminal autonomy, such as self-service check-in, an automated baggage drop and self-boarding.

Facial recognition technology will also be introduced for the first time at Changi Airport, reducing the number of staff needed to perform manual visual checks of passengers.

Validation of passports and boarding passes will be scanned and verified automatically, without the use of any manpower, to ensure speedier clearances.

Some of the other features of the new terminal include a central Galleria, enhanced transit lounges Pernanakan heritage shop fronts and green sanctuaries, including a boulevard of trees along a boarding corridor. Natural light will also figure prominently in the new design.

Terminal 4 is being constructed by Takenaka Corporation on the site of the demolished budget terminal, on a construction contract worth nearly S$1 billion.

It is equipped to handle 16 million passengers a year, spanning an area of 195,000 square metres. CHANNEL NEWSASIA