CAAS to expand Singapore’s Budget Terminal

Airport Code [SIN]  View More SINGAPORE CHANGI APT News

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced plans to invest USD7.2 million expanding Singapore’s Budget Terminal (BT). The expansion project, which will commence from Jul-08 to early 2009, will increase Singapore’s Budget Terminal’s handling capacity from the current 2.7 million passengers p/a to 7 million. In addition, the expansion will also increase the floor area of the terminal from 25,000 sqm to 28,700 sqm.

 

After almost two years of operations, the terminal’s expansion is necessary to keep ahead of the air traffic growth at the BT. In 2007, 1.77 million passengers passed through the BT. In all, the BT has served about 2.9 million passengers since it opened on 26 March 2006. The number of weekly scheduled flights at the BT, operated by Tiger Airways and Philippines-based carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, has also increased from 124 in Mar-06 to 248 in Feb-08, representing a growth of 100%.

CAAS Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lim Kim Choon, said " When we first decided to build the Budget Terminal about three years ago, no one could accurately predict the success of low cost travel in this region. With increased air transport liberalisation in this region, airlines, including low cost carriers, have now greater opportunities to rapidly expand their air network and increase their flight operations.”

The expansion project will include the addition of seven check-in counters as well as the installation of additional baggage handling equipment. Three more passenger boarding gates will be constructed, bringing the total number of boarding gates to ten.

Mr Lim Kim Choon added, “The expansion of the Budget Terminal to increase its handling capacity is timely as we expect passenger traffic to increase further with ASEAN’s goal to remove all restrictions on passenger flights between ASEAN capitals by Dec-08. The increased handling capacity can last us through the next few years.”

© Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Date posted: 07-Mar-08