Changi Airport is expected to begin construction of its brand new Terminal 5 in the first half of next year, according to Singapore’s prime minister Lawrence Wong.
At a dinner marking the 40th anniversary of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) last week, Wong iterated Changi Airport’s need to sharpen its market offering amid intensifying competition.
Wong said: “Some have announced plans for mega airports that can handle more that 100 million passengers a year, so they are narrowing the gap with Singapore.
“Many airlines are also rapidly expanding their fleets and networks, including to serve more direct routes.
“Increasingly, flights that would have passed through Changi may no longer be needed.”
Wong added that even with the 150 or so destinations that Changi currently serves, the airport intends to grow that list even further.
The airport currently handles 90 million passengers annually, with the new Terminal 5 expected to add an additional 50 million upon its completion.
Wong also touched upon Singapore’s efforts to further liberalise the country’s air service agreements to allow possibilities for further direct connections.
This year, Singapore signed a new air service agreement with Ukraine and upgraded its agreements with the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.
The prime minister also highlighted how the expansion of Changi will also bring further developments to the airport’s ecosystem and general infrastructure.
These include the creation of a new aviation lab that will develop methods for better operational efficiency and work on airspace management that aims to reduce flight times and fuel consumption for aircraft flying in and out of the airport.
Singapore will also bring huge investments in upgrading its aviation academy, which has already contributed to help train aviation professionals from more than 200 countries.
