Changi Airport’s new Terminal 3 will begin flight operations on January 9, according to a statement from the airport authorities.
“One year ago, we crossed a major milestone in this project by completing the construction of the main building’s structure. When Terminal 3 opens its doors to the world on 9 January 2008, it will bring us closer to our vision of making Changi a regional air hub,” said Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, Raymond Lim.
In the next few months, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will be working very closely with the various stakeholders to set up their operations and conduct rigorous tests and trials on critical airport systems. Trial flights will also be conducted to test the various airport processes involving departures, arrivals and transfer arrangements for passengers.
Terminal 3 and its associated works cost S$1.75 billion. It will have a handling capacity of 22 million passengers per year, bringing the total annual passenger handling capacity of Changi Airport to about 70 million.
Changi Airport has registered good growth in both passenger traffic and connectivity in the first half of 2007. More than 17.7 million passengers went through Changi Airport in the first six months of the year, representing a 5.4 per cent increase over the same period last year.