Changi Airport says Terminal 5 capacity remains on track despite global uncertainties
Executive vice-president of air hub and cargo development Lim Ching Kiat also addressed MPs’ concerns about longer-range aircraft bypassing the airport.
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SINGAPORE: Changi Airport’s projected passenger growth remains aligned with the additional capacity that Terminal 5 will provide when it opens in the mid-2030s, an executive from its operating company said on Monday (Jul 13).
This long-term growth trajectory is expected to remain stable despite short-term fluctuations such as the Middle East conflict, said Mr Lim Ching Kiat, executive vice-president of air hub and cargo development, in an interview to mark Changi’s 45th anniversary.
His comments come a week after several Members of Parliament (MPs) raised questions about the viability of Singapore’s air hub during a transport motion on Jul 7.
MPs from the Workers’ Party asked whether over-reliance on mega projects such as Terminal 5 could expose Singapore to long-term risks as global trade patterns evolve.
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Terminal 5 is set to raise annual passenger capacity by more than 55 per cent, from 90 million currently to 140 million.
Mr Lim said the group remains confident that planned capacity expansion matches projected demand, despite “ups and downs” in the short term.
“At the highest level, we feel that the game plan is on track,” he said. “The amount of total capacity that’s coming in versus the growth that is projected … all that is in line.”
He added that given the air hub’s key role for Singapore, the group “cannot afford to be too conservative”.
“If you underforecast, then later your manufacturing goods cannot get out, your tourists cannot come in, and there are other repercussions,” he said.
The WP MPs also asked how new technology such as longer-range aircraft could render air transit hubs like Singapore less relevant. Mr Lim said this overlooks how such aircraft could also benefit Singapore by connecting far-flung places to it directly.
Longer-range flights, for instance, allowed Singapore Airlines to launch direct flights to New York City, the world’s longest non-stop flight.
“With the advancement of technology, it cuts both ways,” he said. “Some flights will overfly us, will bypass us … but some of these longer-range flights also help us to fly to places non-stop.”
ON AI AND AUTOMATION
Addressing calls from PAP MPs for greater use of artificial intelligence in the transport sector, Mr Lim said the technology is already being deployed across airport operations.
One example is Aircraft 360, a system unveiled last year that uses AI and video analytics to monitor aircraft turnaround activities and flag potential departure delays before they occur.
The airport operator is also looking to automate more labour-intensive operations, including baggage handling and the deployment of autonomous vehicles where feasible. It is developing AI governance frameworks guided by Singapore’s national AI governance principles.
“It’s something evolving,” he said. “We are also learning very fast because the whole space is moving.”
Mr Lim said the group remains committed to achieving 200 city links by the mid-2030s, a target announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at Terminal 5’s groundbreaking ceremony last year.
Changi currently serves about 170 cities, and much of the remaining growth is expected to come from secondary cities across Asia where demand for international connectivity is growing.
Potential destinations include Alor Setar in Malaysia, Banda Aceh in Indonesia, Haiphong in Vietnam, Almaty in Kazakhstan, Jaipur in India, Urumqi in China and Tashkent in Uzbekistan. Longer-haul possibilities include Warsaw and Chicago.
The recent conflict in the Middle East has reinforced the importance of diversification, Mr Lim said.
Rather than relying heavily on a single transit region, passengers travelling between Singapore and Europe now have alternatives through hubs such as Addis Ababa and Istanbul.
Maintaining a healthy mix of passenger and cargo traffic also strengthens the airport’s resilience, he added. “To have diverse partners, diverse routes and different kinds of traffic flow, I think all that helps.”
Source: CNA/jx(cy)
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