Work starts on Changi Airport's T4

Work has started on Changi Airport's Terminal 4, which opens in 2017. The new facility, which is being built where the Budget Terminal was, will be able to handle up to 16 million passengers a year.

The capacity boost and other projects in the pipeline will prepare Changi for strong growth expected in Asia-Pacific's air travel market, said Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew at T4's ground-breaking event on Tuesday.

Other airports in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, South Korea and Jakarta are also ramping up capacity.

He said: "Airports require sufficient capacity to attract new airlines, add new city-links and increase frequencies. Without this airlines would turn to other airports that can better facilitate their growth and if this happens to Changi it will risk losing connectivity."

These initiatives at T4 are part of a global trend towards self-service options in airports, and they are necessary in Singapore due to the tight labour market in ground handling and security sector, said the Changi Airport Group.

These plans were revealed today as Changi Airport broke ground for the construction of T4, to be located on land once occupied by the Budget Terminal. T4 will be a two-storey, 25-metre-high building with a gross floor area of 195,000 square metres.

The new terminal will cost S$1.28 billion. When completed, it will be able to handle 16 million passenger movements a year, and is expected to bring Changi Airport’s total annual passenger capacity to 82 million.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, who graced the groundbreaking ceremony, said: “I am confident that in the course of planning and developing T4, other more innovative ideas will spawn. I am equally confident that T4 will be host to success stories and best practices that will set new benchmarks in Singapore’s aviation industry.”

Terminal 4, together with Project Jewel, the additional third runway and the mega Terminal 5, will strengthen Changi Airport's position as a leading air hub in Asia.