When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, Singapore Changi Airport closed two of its four passenger terminals, starting with Terminal 2 in May 2020 followed by Terminal 4 just two weeks later, to save operating costs amid almost completely decimated passenger numbers.
A two-terminal operation has been in effect ever since, with a recent semi-revival of a small section of Terminal 2 to process peak-hour arrivals and some departures, though check-in for affected flights remains handled through Terminal 3 in the latter case.
Terminal 4 to reopen
With a significant boost in travel demand after Singapore reopened her borders to fully vaccinated travellers from around the world, and later removed all testing requirements, Changi Airport will reopen its newest facility – Terminal 4.
T4 will recommence operations in September 2022, though the exact opening date is yet to be announced, having been closed for over two years, since 16th May 2020.
“CAG will reopen T4 in September 2022 to handle both departure and arrival flights. Engagement with airlines, airport partners and potential tenants has begun to prepare for this.”
Changi Airport Group
First opened in October 2017, T4 replaced the Budget Terminal, but was home to a mixture of full-service and low-cost carriers.
Prior to COVID-19, around 490 of Changi Airport’s 3,700 weekly passenger flight departures (13%) were being handled through Terminal 4.
The terminal has 21 contact gates, four of which can accommodate wide-body aircraft, and has a design capacity for 16 million passengers annually.
The final flight to depart from Terminal 4 prior to its closure was a Korean Air service to Seoul at 01:10 on Friday 15th May 2020, though most regular passenger operations had already ceased around a month earlier, as the pandemic took hold.