Set for take-off: Changi Airport’s new Terminal 4 to commence operations on 31 October

SINGAPORE. Changi Airport’s spectacular new Terminal 4 is scheduled to commence operations on 31 October 2017, Changi Airport Group (CAG) announced today.

As revealed by The Moodie Davitt during a recent site visit, T4 features a large and diverse retail proposition (including duty free stores from DFS Group and The Shilla Duty Free), an eclectic dining offer, a commendable Sense of Place, and a strong focus on art.

The announcement follows the recent successful conclusion of major trials. A small number of checks and reviews are still to be completed in the final phase of preparations, CAG noted.

To ensure a smooth transition of flight operations from the existing terminals, nine of T4’s airlines – the AirAsia Group (of four airlines), Cathay Pacific Airways, Cebu Pacific Air, Korean Air, Spring Airlines and Vietnam Airlines – will be shifted to the new facility over one week on the following dates:

Tuesday, 31 October 2017 – Cathay Pacific Airways and Korean Air

Thursday, 2 November 2017 – Cebu Pacific Air and Spring Airlines

Tuesday, 7 November 2017 – AirAsia Group and Vietnam Airlines

The first arrival and departing flights at T4 will be operated by Cathay Pacific – CX659 from Hong Kong and CX650 to Hong Kong respectively.

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CAG said it has collaborated with its airport partners since October 2016 to prepare T4 for flight operations. Volunteers from the airport community and members of the public were invited to role-play as passengers to test airport systems and processes. These included the Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) self-service options at check-in, bag drop, immigration and boarding, as well as security screening, baggage handling, flight information, ground transport, way-finding, and transfer processes.

Altogether, more than 100 trials have been conducted, involving over 1,500 volunteer participants and 2,500 airport staff.

 

The Heritage Zone includes this sumptuous evolution of shophouse architecture from the 1880s to the 1950s, including the rich and colourful Peranakan veneers. A beautiful six-minute production called Peranakan Love Story is shown from the pink shophouse.

CAG Executive Vice President (Airport Management) Tan Lye Teck said, “The past months have been a crucial period for us as we conducted intensive tests and trials, not only to ensure that the systems work well, but also to understand how passengers navigate the new terminal, including interacting with initiatives such as FAST which may be less familiar to them.

“We have identified areas of improvement following those trials. Feedback gathered from trial participants has also been very useful to CAG and our partners in fine-tuning our systems and processes. We will take the next few weeks to complete the last set of trials as we prepare for the commencement of operations at T4.”

T4 will add an annual capacity of 16 million passengers to Changi, bringing the airport’s total handling capacity to 82 million passenger movements.

A theatre of experience

T4 offers a rich tapestry of culture and technology, designed to engage consumers through a theatre of different experiences, heritage-themed facades and immersive LED digital displays.

The art collection is an eclectic mix of contemporary works by local and foreign artists, featuring a diverse blend of mediums, sizes and imagery. Each piece was conceptualised and designed with careful consideration as to how it would embellish the terminal’s design and architecture, weaving in a narrative that converges art and travel.

“T4 will be a shopping and dining haven,” CAG pledged. with more than 80 retail and F&B outlets featuring popular brands and unique experiential zones. In a first for Changi, an integrated duty free zone featuring DFS’s liquor & tobacco offer and The Shilla Duty Free’s perfumes & cosmetics range allows shoppers to pay for their purchases at common cashier counters (also see YouTube film ‘From duty free to a theatre of experience’ at foot of page).

The Heritage Zone, designed with the evolving architecture of shophouse facades, provides passengers a glimpse of Singapore’s cultural heritage, while housing a range of traditional retail and dining offerings. Renovation and fitting-out works of stores and restaurants are well in progress to prepare for operations when T4 opens, CAG said.

 

Is this the most stress-free airport security zone in the world? Carpeted floor and a magnificent overhead 70m x 5m ‘Immersive Wall’ featuring spectacular tourism imagery and even (below) a whimsical animated clip on suitcase screening are designed to relax passengers before they continue into the airside lounge.

Changi Airport Group Vice President T4 Programme Management Office Poh Li San: “Each piece was conceptualised and designed with careful consideration as to how it would enhance the terminal’s design and architecture, weaving in a narrative that converges art and travel. We hope our passengers will enjoy the collection as much as we did putting it together.”
Meet a different kind of cleaner at Changi Airport T4, a robot that is a passenger attraction in its own right

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