Singapore’s Changi Airport T4, which began Operational readiness trials in October 2016, is moving into the next phase of testing. AirAsia, one of the airlines who will use the new terminal, has participated in live testing and flight trials were conducted recently with military chartered flights.
Operational trials
Other important preparations, in over a hundred trials using thousands of volunteers and airport staff, have included:
[lists style=”check” color=”#1e73be”]- The refining of standard operating procedures
- Staff familiarisation with the new terminal and its processes
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These processes include Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) options:
[lists style=”check” color=”#1e73be”]- security screening
- GST refund
- baggage reclaim
- ground transport
- way-finding
- passenger and baggage transfer
- vehicular movements on the apron
FAST for Passengers
The FAST initiative offers passengers self-service options at various stages of departure – check-in, bag drop, immigration and boarding. Also undergoing testing is the use of the facial recognition technology Changi Airport will introduce for the first time at T4. This new technology is integrated in the FAST process to authenticate each passenger’s identity, replacing the need for manual identity verification by staff.
FAST has been used at Changi’s existing three terminals since 2015, providing insights into challenges posed by integration with airlines’ systems and human-machine interaction. This has directed the design and improvement of interfaces which are easier for passengers to use.
Cathay Pacific and AirAsia, which are moving from Terminal 1, began providing FAST options to their passengers in February this year. Response has been positive with over half of the passengers choosing the FAST option in the past three months.
Changi Airport T4 airlines
The date of the move over to Terminal 4 will be announced upon successful completion of the trials. Nine airlines have so far confirmed that they will operate from the new terminal.
Four airlines of the AirAsia group, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, Korean Air, Spring Airlines and Vietnam Airlines have so far been listed. Between them, these airlines currently serve an estimated eight million passengers at Changi Airport annually.
Getting to Changi Airport T4
Although transport details have yet to be released, the new terminal is not connected to the MRT system serving the main terminals. There will be a bus connection between T4 and the other terminals so if you need to catch the train, allow extra time for your journey to and from the airport. Once details are available, this information will be updated.
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