Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian
international airport
An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries around the world. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports and they must feature longer ...
that serves
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passenger and cargo traffic, it has been rated as the 'World's Best Airport' by
Skytrax
Skytrax (originally known as Inflight Research Services) is a United Kingdom–based consultancy which runs an airline and airport review and ranking site.
Services
Skytrax conducts research for commercial airlines, as well as taking surveys ...
several times, and is the first airport in the world to hold the accolade for eight consecutive years. It has also been rated as one of the world's
cleanest airports and highly rated
international transit airports. More than 100 airlines operate from the airport, with nonstop or direct flights to destinations in Asia, Australia/New Zealand & South-West Pacific, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
The airport is located within its namesake district of
Changi
Changi () is a planning area located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah in the East Region of Singapore. Sharing borders with Pasir Ris and Tampines to the west, Changi Bay to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east and the Seran ...
, at the
eastern end of Singapore, approximately east from Singapore's
Downtown Core
The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with many integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive build ...
at the
Central Region on a site.
It is the home base of
BOC Aviation
BOC Aviation is a majority state-owned global aircraft operating leasing company and the largest aircraft operating leasing company headquartered in Asia, as measured by the value of owned aircraft.
BOC Aviation is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Ex ...
and
Jetstar Asia Airways
Jetstar Asia Airways Pte Ltd (operating as Jetstar Asia) is a low-cost airline based in Singapore. It is one of the Asian offshoots of parent Jetstar Airways, the low-cost subsidiary airline of Australia's Qantas airline. It operates services ...
, as well as the country's
flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transport company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given sovereign state, enjoys preferential rights or privileges accorded by the government for international operations.
Hist ...
of
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA) is the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Singapore Changi Airport. The airline is notable for highlighting the Singapore Girl as its central figure in ...
, its cargo division
Singapore Airlines Cargo
Singapore Airlines Cargo (abbreviation: SIA Cargo) is the unit within Singapore Airlines (SIA) responsible for air cargo operations. It was incorporated in 1988. SIA Cargo manages the cargo operations of SIA's fleet of freight- and passenger airc ...
and its
low-cost subsidiary
Scoot
Scoot Pte Ltd, operating as Scoot, is a Singaporean low-cost airline and a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. It began its operations on 4 June 2012 on medium and long-haul routes from Singapore, predominantly to various airports t ...
.
With Singapore's strategic location being a favourable destination for high demand
layover
250px, Layover for buses at LACMTA's Warner Center Transit Hub, Los Angeles ">Los_Angeles.html" ;"title="Warner Center Transit Hub, Los Angeles">Warner Center Transit Hub, Los Angeles
In scheduled transportation, a layover (also waypoint, way ...
s, the airport also serves as a
focus city
An airline hub or hub airport is an airport used by one or more airlines to concentrate passenger traffic and flight operations. Hubs serve as transfer (or stop-over) points to help get passengers to their final destination. It is part of the ...
for
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
, as well as the flagship
cargo hub
An airline hub or hub airport is an airport used by one or more airlines to concentrate passenger traffic and flight operations. Hubs serve as transfer (or stop-over) points to help get passengers to their final destination. It is part of the ...
for
FedEx Express
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, is a major American cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. As of 2020, it is one of the world's largest airlines in terms of fleet size and freight tons flown. It is the name ...
in Asia.
In 2019, Changi Airport served 68.3 million passengers, making it the
18th
18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19.
In mathematics
* Eighteen is a composite number, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9. Three of these divisors (3, 6 and 9) add up to 18, hence 18 is a semiperfect number. ...
busiest airport in the world. The airport is operated by Changi Airport Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary under the purview of the
Ministry of Finance A ministry of finance is a part of the government in most countries that is responsible for matters related to the finance.
Lists of current ministries of finance
Named "Ministry"
* Ministry of Finance (Afghanistan)
* Ministry of Finance and Ec ...
of the
Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of Singapore to mean the executive branch of the state, which is made up of the president and the Cabinet. Although the president acts in their personal discretion in the exercise ...
. It is served by three runways; all long, and consists of four terminal buildings. A fifth mega-terminal is currently under construction.
Overview
![Singapore_Airport](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Singapore_Airport.png)
Changi Airport serves more than 100 airlines flying to 400 cities in around 100 countries and territories worldwide, as of November 2020. About 7,400 flights arrive or depart at Changi each week, or one every 80 seconds.
For the 2019 full-year figures published by the airport, the airport handled 68,300,000 passengers (a 4.0% increase over the previous year), the most in its 38-year history.
This made it the seventh busiest airport by
international passenger traffic in the world and the third busiest in Asia. In December 2019, Changi Airport registered a total of 6.41 million passenger movements, the highest the airport has ever achieved in a month since it opened in 1981. Its daily traffic movement record was also broken on 20 December 2019, with 226,692 passengers passing through during that day. In addition to being an important passenger hub, the airport is also one of the busiest cargo airports in the world, handling 2.01 million tonnes of cargo in 2019. The total number of commercial aircraft movements decreased by 1.0% from the previous year to 382,000 in 2019.
The airport has won over 620 awards since its opening, including 28 "Best Airport" awards in 2019 alone.
Changi Airport's efforts to mitigate the effects of ageing infrastructure include continual physical upgrades to its existing terminals and building new facilities to maintain its high standards in airport service quality.
[In 2019 the airport has installed one of the first drone detection systems "AARTOS".
]
Passenger terminals
Changi Airport has four main passenger terminals arranged in an elongated inverted 'U' shape with Jewel in the centre of the ‘U’ shape. Currently, the airport has a designed total annual handling capacity of 85 million passengers.
There is also a privately run luxury terminal called the
JetQuay CIP Terminal. It is similar to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal at
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport (; german: link=no, Flughafen Frankfurt Main , also known as ''Rhein-Main-Flughafen'') is a major international airport located in Frankfurt, the fifth-largest city of Germany and one of the world's leading financial centres ...
, but is open to all passengers travelling in all classes on all airlines with an access fee.
The short-lived Budget Terminal was opened on 26 March 2006 and closed on 25 September 2012 to make way for Terminal 4.
[
]
Mixed-use development
Jewel Changi Airport
Jewel Changi Airport (also known as Jewel or Jewel Changi) is a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex surrounded by and linked to Changi Airport, Singapore, linked to one of its passenger terminals. Its centrepiece is the world's talle ...
, which opened on 17 April 2019, is a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex interconnecting Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Announced in 2013, it was a new terminal structure that is intended to be a mixed-use complex. It is situated on a 3.5-hectare site where the Terminal 1 car park used to reside. Jewel was developed by Jewel Changi Airport Trustee Pte Ltd, a joint venture between Changi Airport Group and
CapitaLand
CapitaLand is a Singaporean headquartered company focusing on investment, development and management of real estate. It is one of Asia's largest real estate companies and the owner and manager of a global portfolio comprising integrated develo ...
, through its wholly owned shopping mall business, CapitaLand Mall Asia. The project cost S$1.7 billion.
Part of this project was planned to help expand Terminal 1 to handle 24 million passengers per year by 2018. The Indoor Waterfall (named “Rain Vortex”) in the structure holds the World Record for the Tallest indoor waterfall in the world.
Future terminals and projects
Terminal 5 is anticipated to be operational by the mid-2030s, to meet an anticipated doubling of volume by the 2040s. It is expected to handle 50 million passenger movements per annum.
[
] The airport terminal structure is projected to be larger than terminals 1, 2 and 3 combined. It will be built on reclaimed land to the east of the present terminals. It will be funded through the newly increased levy. KPF Singapore with Heatherwick Studio, Architects 61, and DP Architects will provide architectural services. Arup Singapore, Mott MacDonald Singapore and Surbana Jurong Consultants will provide engineering services. The former Transport Minister
Khaw Boon Wan
Khaw Boon Wan (; born 8 December 1952) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Minister for Transport between 2015 and 2020, Minister for National Development between 2011 and 2015, and Minister for Health between 2003 and 2011. A mem ...
said that the Changi Terminal 5 project was delayed by at least 2 years as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Operations
Passenger operations
As the airport only handles international passenger traffic, all terminals in operation are equipped with immigration-processing facilities for international travel.
After recovering from a drop in passenger traffic as a result of the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
in 2001 and the
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-1), the first identified strain of the SARS coronavirus species, ''seve ...
(SARS) epidemic in 2003, the airport saw rapid growth in traffic, which hit the 30-million mark for the first time in 2004. In March 2008, prior to the full effect of the
financial crisis of 2007–2010
Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fina ...
on the global economy, the airport was predicted to handle 50 million passengers by 2012 due to the opening of
casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
s in Singapore and the phased liberalisation of the
Asean
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
aviation sector. As predicted, the airport surpassed the 50-million mark in 2012.
On 18 December 2017, the airport surpassed the 60-million mark for the first time.
The airport saw a record 65.6 million passenger movements in 2018 - beating 2017's record of 60 million passengers with a 5.5 per cent increase.
In 2019,
Firefly
The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production ...
, the sole turboprop operator in Changi Airport, moved to
Seletar Airport
Seletar Airport is a civilian international airport serving the north-east region of Singapore. It is located approximately northwest from Changi Airport, the country's main airport, and about north from the main commercial city-centre.
T ...
to make way for their jet operations.
Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, passenger traffic fell in 2020 and 2021, resulting in Terminals 2 and 4 closing in May 2020. Terminals 1 and 3 remained open for passengers throughout, but were closed to the general public on 12 May 2021 along with Jewel, reopening on 1 September 2021.
Cargo Division
The Air Cargo Division of the Changi Airport Group (CAG) manages the Changi Airfreight Centre located in the north of the airport premises.
The airport handled 1.81 million tonnes of air cargo in 2012, making it the 7th busiest airfreight hub in the world and the fifth busiest in Asia. Due to Singapore's large electronics sector, electrical components constitute a significant part of the total cargo traffic handled at the airport. Changi airport has initiated attempts to expand into the perishable air cargo market. In 2015, Changi Airport handled 1,853,087 tonnes of air freight. ''Air Cargo World'' awarded the 2013 Air Cargo Excellence Award to Changi Airport for handling more than 1,000,000 tonnes of cargo in Asia.
The airport handled 2,006,300 tonnes of cargo in 2016, making it the 13th top cargo airport in the world and the sixth in the
Asia Pacific
Asia-Pacific (APAC) is the part of the world near the western Pacific Ocean. The Asia-Pacific region varies in area depending on context, but it generally includes East Asia, Russian Far East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Pacific Is ...
region.
In 2017, the airport handled 2,125,226 tonnes of cargo. The top five cargo markets for the airport were China, Australia, Hong Kong, United States and India.
Key markets and destinations
In 2018, Indonesia was the largest market for the airport, followed by Malaysia, China, Thailand, Australia, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and Vietnam.
Kuala Lumpur
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, coordinates =
, su ...
was the top destination for travellers in the airport, followed by
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
,
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
,
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
,
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
,
Denpasar
Denpasar (; Balinese script, Balinese: ᬤᬾᬦ᭄ᬧᬲᬃ) is the capital of Bali and the main gateway to the island. The city is also a hub for other cities in the Lesser Sunda Islands.
With the rapid growth of the tourism industry in Bali ...
,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
,
Ho Chi Minh City
, population_density_km2 = 4,292
, population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2
, population_demonym = Saigonese
, blank_name = GRP (Nominal)
, blank_info = 2019
, blank1_name = – Total
, blank1_ ...
,
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
and
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
.
Safety and security
![Griffon 8000TD](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Griffon_8000TD.jpg)
The Changi Airport Group (CAG) manages the overall safety and security of the airport. The Airport Management Division of the CAG manages the customer aspects of the airport's security, while the Aviation Security Unit oversees the airport's compliance with
aviation security
Airport security includes the techniques and methods used in an attempt to protect passengers, staff, aircraft, and airport property from malicious harm, crime, terrorism, and other threats.
Aviation security is a combination of measures and hum ...
(AVSEC) policies, and manages AVSEC-related projects.
The airport's emergency and fire-fighting services are handled by the Airport Emergency Service Division. The Airport Emergency Services handles all instances of rescue and fire-fighting within the airport premises as well as in surrounding waters. It operates from two main fire stations (Station 1 by Runway 1 along West Perimeter Road and Station 2 by Runway 2), one sub-station (Domestic Fire Station), and one sea rescue base near the airport.
The airport's security comes under the regulatory purview of the Airport Police Division of the
Singapore Police Force
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the national and principal law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in the Republic of Singapore. It is the country's lead agency against organised crime; human, wea ...
(SPF). The day to day discharge of security functions at the airport is performed by
auxiliary police
Auxiliary police, also called special police, are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated. The po ...
forces including
Aetos Security Management
AETOS Security Management, now known as AETOS Holdings Pte Ltd, provides security services to a wide range of clientele. The company is officially an auxiliary police force permitted to be armed under regulations from the Police Force Act ...
,
Certis CISCO and
SATS Security Services
SATS Security Services Pte Ltd (SSS) is a subsidiary of SATS Ltd, providing security services for aviation-related activities at Singapore Changi Airport. It provides armed auxiliary police officers for mainly airline clients as an Auxiliary ...
. Aetos and SATS Security Services are affiliated to the ground handling companies of Dnata and Singapore Changi Airport Terminal Services respectively.
[
] On 29 April 2008, CAAS signed its then-biggest single security contract for all airport-related security services by engaging Certis CISCO to provide security services at Singapore Changi Airport, as well as
Seletar Airport
Seletar Airport is a civilian international airport serving the north-east region of Singapore. It is located approximately northwest from Changi Airport, the country's main airport, and about north from the main commercial city-centre.
T ...
, Changi Airfreight Centre, and the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre. It involves the deployment of about 2,600 Certis Cisco personnel, including armed Auxiliary Police Officers and unarmed aviation security officers to perform tasks such as screening checked baggage, controlling access to restricted areas, and screening passengers before they board their aircraft.
Since the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
and the
naming of the airport as a terrorist target by the
Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiyah ( ar, الجماعة الإسلامية, ''al-Jamāʿah al-Islāmiyyah'', meaning "Islamic Congregation", frequently abbreviated JI) is a Southeast Asian militant extremist Islamist terrorist group based in Indonesia, which i ...
, the airport's security has been tightened. Singapore Armed Forces and Singapore Police Force officers, armed with assault rifles or sub-machine guns, have been deployed to patrol the terminals at random intervals.
Officers from the
Gurkha Contingent
The Gurkha Contingent (GC) is a line department of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) consisting primarily of Gurkhas from Nepal, recruited by the British Army with the purview of the Government of Singapore. The contingent's roles are as a spe ...
are also dispatched to patrol the transit areas of the terminal buildings. These measures come at a cost partly borne by travellers in the form of a "passenger security service charge", imposed since 2002.
In 2005, an upgrade in screening technology and rising security concerns led to luggage-screening processes being conducted behind closed doors, as opposed to them being done before check-in within public view. The screening of
carry-on luggage
The term hand luggage or cabin baggage (normally called carry-on in North America) refers to the type of luggage that passengers are allowed to carry along in the passenger compartment of a vehicle instead of a separate cargo compartment. Passen ...
and travellers are mostly conducted at individual departure gates, while check-in luggage is screened in the backrooms and secured before loading. A perimeter intrusion detection system for Changi Airport's perimeter fence has also been put in place to further strengthen the security of the airfield, while a biometric access control system for staff movement has been put in place since 2006.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
The following list consists of the regular scheduled and charter flights to and from Changi Airport.
Cargo
Operational statistics
The cause of the sudden plummet in 2020 numbers is a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Accidents and incidents
* On 26 March 1991,
Singapore Airlines Flight 117
Singapore Airlines Flight 117 was a Singapore Airlines flight that was hijacked en route by four Pakistani terrorists on 26 March 1991.
The aircraft landed in Singapore. The hijackers, who claimed to be members of the Pakistan Peoples Party ...
, operated by an
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a wide-body aircraft, designed and manufactured by Airbus Industrie, then a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers.
Airbus had identified a demand for an aircraft smaller than the A300, the first twin-jet wide-bod ...
, was hijacked by four
Pakistani terrorists. The flight landed in Changi Airport at 22:15. The
Singapore Special Operations Force
The Special Operations Force (SOF) is the primary special forces unit of the Singapore Army responsible for conducting special operations. It is composed of only highly-trained regular servicemen from the Commandos formation. It is also a compo ...
stormed the aircraft, on the morning of 27 March. All four hijackers were killed, with only minor injuries among the 123 passengers and crew that were held hostage for more than eight hours.
* On 4 November 2010,
Qantas Flight 32
Qantas Flight 32 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from London to Sydney via Singapore. On 4 November 2010, the aircraft operating the route, an Airbus A380, suffered an uncontained failure in one of its four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 eng ...
, operated by an
Airbus A380-800, suffered an
uncontained engine failure
A turbine engine failure occurs when a turbine engine unexpectedly stops producing power due to a malfunction other than fuel exhaustion. It often applies for aircraft, but other turbine engines can fail, like ground-based turbines used in powe ...
and made an
emergency landing
An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...
at Changi Airport. Upon landing, one of the engines could not be shut down due to ruptured control cables and had to be doused for three hours by airport firefighters to forcefully shut it down. There were no crew or passenger injuries, and all 469 people on board survived this incident.
* On 27 June 2016, Singapore Airlines Flight 368, operated by a
Boeing 777-300ER, suffered an engine problem while flying from Singapore to Milan. During the diversionary landing in Singapore, the right engine and wing caught fire. The fire was quickly extinguished by airport fire services. There were no injuries among the 241 people on board.
* On 16 May 2017, a fire broke out at the departure hall in Terminal 2. The fire caused 40 flights at Terminal 2 to be delayed and diverted to Terminal 3. Terminal 2 was closed from 17:30 to 22:45.
* On 29 November 2017, a tow tug towing a Singapore Airlines aircraft caught fire. This fire was promptly put out by the airport's emergency services. A member of the towing crew was in the aircraft's cockpit when the fire occurred; this crew member evacuated through the aircraft's emergency slides.
* On 6 February 2018, a
KAI T-50 Golden Eagle
The KAI T-50 Golden Eagle (골든이글) is a family of South Korean supersonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with Lockheed Martin. The T-50 is South Korea's first indigenous s ...
, part of the
Black Eagles aerobatic team taking part in
Singapore Airshow 2018, veered off the runway during takeoff and crashed. The resulting fire was put out by emergency services and the pilot was treated for minor injuries. Runway 1 was closed as a result and caused delays at the airport.
* On 19 June 2019, unauthorised
drones were spotted around Changi Airport, causing 37 flights to be delayed and a runway to be shut intermittently. Another such incident took place on 24 June 2019, causing 18 flights to be delayed and 7 more diverted. The disruption was made worse by bad weather.
*On 28 September 2022, a drunk passenger onboard Singapore Airlines Flight 33, from San Francisco to Singapore, made bomb threats and also inappropriately touched other people. RSAF planes guided the plane to Changi airport and the plane was searched. No bombs were found.
Ground transportation
Changi Airport was built with ground-transportation considerations in mind from the onset, with the
East Coast Parkway
The East Coast Parkway (Abbreviation: ECP) is an expressway that runs along the southeastern coast of Singapore. The expressway is approximately in length, and connects Singapore Changi Airport in the east to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, in ...
beginning at the
Benjamin Sheares Bridge
The Benjamin Sheares Bridge (; ms, Jambatan Benjamin Sheares; ta, பென்ஜமின் ஷியர்ஸ் பாலம்) is the longest bridge in Singapore, spanning 1.8 km, and the tallest, at .
It is named after Benjamin Sheares ...
built and opened in tandem with the airport, providing a direct link to the city centre. At a distance of about , the expressway was built almost entirely on reclaimed land, thus minimising disruptions to the existing road network in Singapore's eastern coasts.
Despite the four main passenger terminal buildings being relatively close to each other, the
CAAS (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore) decided to build the
Changi Airport Skytrain
The Changi Airport Skytrain is an automated people mover (APM) that connects Terminals 1, 2 and 3 at Singapore Changi Airport. Opened in 1990, it was the first driverless and automated system of its kind in South East Asia. The Changi Airport Sk ...
people-mover system to facilitate quicker and more convenient transfers between the terminals for travellers. The system was upgraded in 2007 with new technologies supplied by Mitsubishi, connecting to Terminal 3 and separating checked-in passengers from the general public on distinct tracks.
Inter-terminal transportation
![CG2 Changi Airport MRT platforms 20210404 174754](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/CG2_Changi_Airport_MRT_platforms_20210404_174754.jpg)
Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are connected by the free
Skytrain service, which operates from 05:00 to 02:30. During non-operational hours, travellers in the transit areas may transfer within the terminals by foot via the inter-terminal travelators. For travellers in the public areas, a free shuttle bus service will connect the three terminals.
A complimentary 24-hour Airport Shuttle Bus service plies between Terminal 3 and Terminal 4 in both the public and transit areas. The journey takes approximately eight to 10 minutes.
External connections
Mass Rapid Transit
The airport is connected to the
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network via a two-stop branch of the
East West line from
Tanah Merah MRT station
Tanah Merah MRT station is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the East West line located in Bedok, Singapore. Other than the main service for the East West line, Tanah Merah station is also the terminus for the Chang ...
, consisting of two stations:
Expo
An expo is a trade exposition. It may also refer to:
Events and venues
* World's fair, a large international public exposition
* Singapore Expo, convention and exposition venue
** Expo Axis, one of the world's largest membrane roofs, constructe ...
, serving the nearby
Singapore Expo
Singapore EXPO is the largest convention and exhibition venue in Singapore with over 100,000 square metres of column-free, indoor space spread over 10 halls. The center was designed by Cox Richardson Rayner, built by PSA International, and funded ...
site; and
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
.
Changi Airport MRT station
Changi Airport MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station serving Changi Airport and its supplementary structure Jewel in Changi, Singapore. It is the terminus of the Changi Airport branch of the East West line (EWL). The ...
is located underground between Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Direct, one-train service to the
downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
and western parts of Singapore was initially in operation when the station opened on 8 February 2002. This was replaced by the current shuttle service between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport via Expo on 22 July 2003, when it was found that passenger demand for this route was low.
As announced in the
LTA's Land Transport Masterplan, the new
Thomson–East Coast line will be extended to Changi Airport Terminal 5 and to the current Changi Airport station, with the current EWL Branch line being converted to be part of the TEL.
Bus
There are seven bus services operated by
SBS Transit,
SMRT Buses
SMRT Buses is a bus operator in Singapore. A subsidiary of SMRT Corporation, it traded as Trans Island Bus Services until 10 May 2004.
History Trans-Island Bus Services (1983–2004)
In April 1981, Communications & Labour Minister Ong Teng Cheo ...
,
Tower Transit Singapore
Tower Transit Singapore is a contracted bus operator operating in Singapore. It commenced operations on 29 May 2016 and it is a subsidiary of Transit Systems.
History
In October 2014, the Land Transport Authority called for tenders to operate 26 ...
and
Go-Ahead Singapore
Go-Ahead Singapore is a contracted bus operator operating in Singapore. It commenced operations on 4 September 2016 and it is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group.
History
On 15 April 2015, the Land Transport Authority called for tenders to ope ...
, making a loop starting from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1, and Terminal 2. Only four bus services will continue to Terminal 4Services 24, 34, 36 and 110. Bus stops are located at the basement bus bays of Terminals 1, 2 and 3. For Terminal 4, the bus stop is located next to Car Park 4B.
Coaches to and from
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru (), colloquially referred to as JB, is the capital city of the state of Johor, Malaysia. It is located at the southern end of Peninsular Malaysia,along the north bank of the Straits of Johor, opposite of the city-state Singapore. T ...
are also available. Operated by Transtar Travel, the TS1 service will start at coach stands of Terminals 1, 2, and 3, and end at Larkin Terminal.
There is also a free shuttle bus service plying between Changi Airport (T3) and Changi Business Park. This service is a nine-stop route, running from Mondays to Fridays, except public holidays.
Taxis
Taxis are available at
taxi stands located in the arrival halls of each terminal. There is an additional airport surcharge for all trips originating from the airport. Limousine and other transportation options are available at the Ground Transport Concierge.
Private transportation
All pick-ups by private transportation occur at the arrival pick-up points of each terminal. Car rental counters are located in the arrival halls of each terminal.
By foot or bicycle
A new Changi Airport Connector, which opened on 11 October 2020, links the airport to
East Coast Park
East Coast Park is a beach and a park encompassing Marine Parade, Bedok and Tampines, along the southeastern coast of Singapore. It was opened in the 1970s, after the Singapore government had completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katon ...
. Bicycle rental services are available along with other facilities such as pay-per-use showers and bicycle lockers at HUB & SPOKE Changi Airport. Along the way is a long Changi Jurassic Mile where there is a permanent display of life-sized dinosaurs. Admission is free.
See also
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Airport Logistics Park
Airport Logistics Park Singapore (ALPS) is an industrial park created to support activities related to trade and air cargo at Singapore Changi Airport. The park is a notable example of cooperation between the government of Singapore and local bus ...
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History of Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport , or simply Changi Airport, is the primary civilian airport in the Republic of Singapore, and one of the largest transportation hubs in Southeast Asia. It is located approximately northeast from the commercial centre i ...
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Infrastructure of Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport is Singapore's primary international airport and a major aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific region. It is one of the commercial airports in Singapore, the other being the Seletar Airport. Since the rankings for the World' ...
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Jewel Changi Airport
Jewel Changi Airport (also known as Jewel or Jewel Changi) is a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex surrounded by and linked to Changi Airport, Singapore, linked to one of its passenger terminals. Its centrepiece is the world's talle ...
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Kinetic Rain
''Kinetic Rain'' is a moving sculpture at Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs ...
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References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
* , illustrated description of the newly opened Singapore Airport
External links
Singapore Changi Airport official siteSingapore Changi Airport JetQuay CIP Terminal official website360° image of Changi Airport Terminal 3*
*
{{authority control
Changi
Airports established in 1981
1981 establishments in Singapore