Channel NewsAsia - 35 minutes ago
Singapore opens new airport terminal
SINGAPORE — Singapore on Wednesday opened an ultra—modern new airport terminal that industry analysts say will reinforce the city—state’s position as a regional aviation hub.
A Singapore Airlines flight from San Francisco became the first to land at Terminal 3 at about 12pm local time, a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which operates Changi Airport, said.
"We have received the first arrivals," the spokesperson said.
Built at a cost of S$1.75 billion, Terminal 3 offers 380,000 square metres of space in a seven—storey building.
It can handle 22 million passengers a year, bringing ChangiÂ’s total capacity to about 70 million, CAAS said.
Terminal 3 will add 28 aerobridge gates to Changi, with up to eight designed to handle the worldÂ’s biggest passenger plane, the superjumbo Airbus A380.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) in October became the world’s first airline to fly the double—decker A380 and is the first to operate from Terminal 3.
With shiny granite floor tiles and carpeted lounges, Terminal 3 has the ambience of a five—star hotel. Trees and plants dot the building, which boasts a five—storey vertical garden with waterfalls.
Analysts say the new terminal will boost Changi’s appeal —— particularly compared with its key challenger in Bangkok, which was plagued with problems after opening in 2006.
"It will push Singapore further ahead of its rivals," said Shukor Yusof, of Standard and PoorÂ’s Equity Research.
Terminal 3 is more than twice as large as the 140,000—square—metre second terminal which opened last June at Hong Kong International Airport.
Aviation industry competition is intensifying in a region where airline passenger growth is projected to increase faster than the global average. — AFP/ir