Singapore Changi Airport has officially broken ground on its highly-anticipated Terminal 5 (T5) – marking a major expansion for one of the world’s best airports. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, broke ground on the mega terminal on May 14, following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new terminal is scheduled to open in the mid-2030s and it will boost Changi’s annual passenger capacity by 50 million once completed. Here’s what we know about the Terminal 5 expansion.
Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 5
This $3.5 billion expansion project is in direct response to the projected doubling of passenger traffic in the Asia-Pacific region by 2043. As a result, the 50 million T5 capacity means the airport’s total passenger capacity to set to be around 140 million travellers per year.
The new terminal is designed by Koh Pedersen Fox (KPF), Heatherwick Studio, and local firm Architects61. Terminal 5’s design philosophy is described as ”mega yet cosy” with a strong focus on creating a personalised, stress-free, and uplifting airport experience. The architecture features a canopy of overlapping curved roofs, that resemble roof leaves, which allows natural light to flood the interior. Additionally, vertical gardens and landscaped zones will be integrated throughout to echo Singapore’s reputation as a garden city.
Meanwhile, there will be three main sections in the terminal – T5A, T5B, and T5C – connected by an automated people mover system. T5A and T5B will house immigration halls, baggage claim, and boarding gates, while T5C will be separated by a taxiway and provide additional gates and be linked via underground train.
Interestingly, Terminal 5 will feature sustainable elements and advanced ventilation systems that can be activated during health crises, as well as contactless entry points and biometric systems for fully document-free travel experiences. Additionally, there’ll be robotic baggage handling, automated aerobridges, and the ability to scale operations or segregate passenger flows as needed.
Both Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot Air will move their operations to T5 when the terminal opens in mid-2030s. Plus, Terminal 5 will connect to Thomson-East Coast and Cross Island MRT lines for faster transport connections.
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