Singapore Changi Airport’s new Terminal 3 opens

Singapore Changi Airport’s new Terminal 3 commenced scheduled flight operations today, witnessed by Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Raymond Lim.

After months of intensive preparatory tests and trials of various airport systems, the new terminal handled its first arrival flight from San Francisco at 1150 hours and saw its first departure flight at 1250 hours to London.

Accompanied by Mr Liew Mun Leong, Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and CAAS senior management officials, Minister Lim personally welcomed passengers onboard the first arrival flight, Singapore Airlines flight SQ001.  Passengers were also greeted with a lively traditional lion dance performance and received gift bags containing congratulatory certificates for being on the first flight.

Minister Lim said “I am delighted that Terminal 3 has now come to fruition.  The opening of Terminal 3 marks a significant milestone for Changi Airport as it will increase Changi Airport’s total annual capability to about 70 million passenger movements, enhancing its position as the regional aviation hub.”

“With this new terminal, we are poised to meet the demands of the growing tourist and business traffic in and out of Singapore, especially when the two integrated resorts start their operations.”

During the welcome ceremony, Minister Lim witnessed a cheque presentation ceremony to the Singapore Cancer Society, a charitable organisation adopted by CAAS.   Mr Lim Kim Choon, CAAS Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, presented a cheque of S$230,000 to Dr Koo Wen Hsin, Council Chairman of the Singapore Cancer Society, with the S$200,000 raised through admission ticket sales at the month-long Terminal 3 Open House from November to December 2007 for the public to enjoy a preview of Terminal 3.

The Open House attracted about 250,000 people.

The remaining S$30,000 was raised through other initiatives organised by CAAS.

CAAS also launched a shopping promotion at all three terminals at Changi Airport from 9 January to 29 February 2008.  As part of the promotion, travellers and airport visitors stand a chance to win travel packages worth S$10,000 or win cash three times their shopping amount.

At Terminal 3, travellers and airport visitors will also get to enjoy varied shopping and dining options from over 100 retail shops and 40 food and beverage outlets.   

Since early 2007, CAAS has been conducting integrated trials to prepare Terminal 3 for flight operations. The trials allowed CAAS and airport agencies to test the airport systems and procedures in an integrated manner ahead of the terminal’s opening.

The trials were carried out on airport systems such as the passenger check-in system, baggage handling system and immigration clearance system.   Over 50 trial flights were carried out at Terminal 3 before it opened, including about 20 actual Singapore Airlines passenger flights.

With the opening of Terminal 3, Singapore Airlines’ long-haul flights will operate out of Terminal 3 and its regional flights will operate out of Terminal 2.

For more information, travellers and airport users are invited to visit the websites of Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport at www.singaporeair.com  and www.changiairport.com

China Eastern Airlines, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways and United Airlines, will also commence operations at Terminal 3 in March 2008.

Terminal 3 and its associated works cost S$1.75 billion and adds a capacity of 22 million passengers per annum to Changi Airport, bringing the airport’s total annual capability to about 70 million passenger movements.

Terminal 3 also adds another 28 aerobridge gates to Changi Airport and among the 28 aerobridge gates are eight gates that are designed to handle the A380 aircraft, bring the total of A380 gates at Changi Airport to 19 across all three main terminals.

A Report by The Mole