Construction update (16/3/05):

http://img196.exs.cx/img196/9893/pic0143715bk.jpg
Expected date of completion: Nov 2005

Looking beyond the entrance to the construction
http://img196.exs.cx/img196/74/pic0144518td.jpg

Looking to the left......
http://img196.exs.cx/img196/1153/pic0143917rq.jpg

Some close-ups:

http://img226.exs.cx/img226/1500/pic0144616we.jpg

http://img226.exs.cx/img226/4139/pic0144918bx.jpg

Wow..a new terminal by year end :cool:

post the rendition as well :yes:

Wow..a new terminal by year end :cool:

post the rendition as well :yes:

Oh yeah....forgot about that......:D

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-01-15/front_caas.jpg

the colour scheme will be interesting in real life ^_^

A pano on how the area of construction looks like......:yes: (16/3/05):

http://i139.exs.cx/img139/2743/budgetterminal1gi.jpg

sigh... why does it have to look like shit.

Looks like a school canteen!!! :bash:

Looks sooooo..............................................
Um.....................................................................................
BUDGET!!!!

Looks like a school canteen!!! :bash:

Looks sooooo..............................................
Um.....................................................................................
BUDGET!!!!

What do you expect from a 24 million budget?? :lol:

we could expect better colours.

Budget terminal building for budget airline.... :(

it would look far better if the whole buildign was just painted white. and cheaper also i think.

It would add some new colour to the budget airline dollars

A pano on how the area of construction looks like......:yes: (16/3/05):

http://i139.exs.cx/img139/2743/budgetterminal1gi.jpg

i just hope that it wont be the colours like those on the metal boardings....

^
We'll know in November......:yes:

I'll choose simple minimalist cubic white building instead of that hideous thing.....

Construction update(12/4/05) :

http://img238.echo.cx/img238/8966/pic0174510fm.jpg

04 May 2005

Search on for name for Changi Airport's new low-cost terminal

SINGAPORE : The search is now on for a name for the new low-cost terminal at Changi Airport.

The site for the terminal was launched on Wednesday by Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong.

To be ready in about a year, it will serve the growing demand for low-cost travel into and out of Singapore.

Mr Yeo says the low-cost sector is seeing strong growth and the potential in Asia is tremendous.

Budget travel in Asia now comprises only 5 percent of the intra-regional market, compared to 10 percent in Europe, 25 percent in the US and 40 percent in Australia.

But with ASEAN's 500 million people, and 2.3 billion more in China and India, intra-Asian air travel may one day overtake even the US.

In Singapore, Mr Yeo says that as at May 1, low cost carriers operate 175 weekly services to 15 cities, up from 70 weekly services in just six months.

This accounts for about 7 percent of Changi's flights, with this phenomenal growth achieved in just one year.

But low-cost carriers still face many challenges in Asia because the operating environment in Asia is vastly different from that of the US or Europe.

First, many Asian cities do not have secondary airports for low-cost carriers.

Second, low Internet penetration means low-cost carriers have to provide call centres and rely on travel agencies, thereby increasing costs.

Third is the regulatory environment.

While some Asian countries have liberalised their aviation markets, most are still very protective of their air rights.

Notwithstanding these factors, Mr Yeo says the low-cost carrier phenomenon is here to stay.

Singapore has studied the developments elsewhere and looks forward to the significant multiplier effects that increased tourism will have on its economy.

It will continue to actively liberalise its Air Services Agreements with other countries, both through bilateral negotiations, as well as through multi-lateral frameworks.

And it welcomes all airlines to operate from Changi -- both low-cost and full service carriers. - CNA /ct

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

NEW TERMINAL: This is an illustration of the upcoming low-cost terminal transit area that is being built at Changi Airport. Singapore's low-cost airlines now account for seven per cent of all flights out of the airport. -- AFP

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-05-04/front_terminal.jpg

May 5, 2005
Keeping it simple at budget terminal
Non-confusing layout to prevent passengers getting lost, and no frills to keep operators' costs down

By Goh Chin Lian

PASSENGERS flying low-cost carriers will be told their flight's gate number at the new budget airline terminal just 30 minutes before boarding, to prevent a rush for the best seats.

It is one of the precautions the planning team of 15 aviation officials will introduce after studying airport terminals for budget carriers in Europe.

They have also eliminated the turns within the departure and arrival halls to make sure passengers do not get lost between the security counter and the boarding gate.

Yesterday, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said that low-cost carriers want simple operations which allow passengers to get on and off planes quickly.

With this in mind, those designing the $45 million terminal - next to Singapore's In-flight Catering Centre 1 in Changi - had to 'fundamentally review' the way an airport is run. This is to ensure that Singapore does not go 'too far beyond' providing basic amenities for passenger comfort.

He made the point yesterday when the design of the new terminal was unveiled.

These airlines' operating costs will be at least about a quarter cheaper than at Changi Airport's other terminals, he told reporters later.

Costs were trimmed, he explained, by cutting out the plasma TVs and plush chairs in the waiting area, which are a feature at Terminals 1 and 2.

There will also be no seats in the boarding area, apart from a few for the handicapped and the elderly.

Arriving passengers will not have escalators or travellators either.

However, most of the one-storey terminal, about the size of three football fields, will be air-conditioned.

About a tenth of it - 3,000 sq m or so - will be set aside for money changers, duty-free shops and outlets offering fast food.

Work on the terminal started earlier this year and is expected to be finished early next year. It will be able to handle about 2.7 million passengers annually.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

the rendering of the interior doesnt look as bad as the ones of the exterior, although the ceiling still looks cheap (not the circle circle things)

Oh yeah....forgot about that......:D

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-01-15/front_caas.jpg

no offence ! but the design of the building ( i mean the outside it look quite bad ! hope they will change ) but for the interior good!

as all of u know there will be a contest name for the new terminal , so post urs
here

note: terminal 4 is out!

the rendering of the interior doesnt look as bad as the ones of the exterior, although the ceiling still looks cheap (not the circle circle things)

Haha...yeah in fact i think the interior looks pretty decent......:yes:

Business Times - 05 May 2005

S'pore low-cost terminal open to all carriers

It will not be exclusive to LCCs, users can cut their operating costs by 25%

By VEN SREENIVASAN

SINGAPORE'S low-cost airline terminal (LCT) will be open to both budget and full-service carriers. And operators that use the terminal can cut their parking and other charges by 25 per cent, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said yesterday.

Visting the site at Changi, Mr Yeo told reporters the $45 million LCT is primarily intended for budget carriers, but anyone is welcome to use it. 'We do not discriminate against them,' he joked.

The move will be welcomed by the International Air Transport Association, whose director-general Giovanni Bisignani has been pushing for lower airport charges and fees for the association's 271 member airlines worldwide.

Yesterday's event was organised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to give visitors, including airline officials and media, a sneak preview of what the LCT will look like. When it is ready by year-end, the 25,000 sq ft terminal will be able to handle about 2.7 million passengers a year and will have parking space for six single-aisle aircraft .

The facility - about the size of three football fields, or a twelfth of Changi Airport's Terminal 1 - will have separate arrival and departure halls with their own duty-free retail outlets. Some $24 million of the overall cost will be spent on the single-story terminal building.

So far, only Tiger Airways has committed itself to using the LCT. But CAAS seems confident that other airlines will do so once the facility becomes operational early next year.

The three ground-services companies at Changi - Singapore Airport Terminal Services, Changi International Airport Services and Swissport - will also operate at the LCT.

Mr Yeo said yesterday that LCCs now operate 175 weekly services to 15 cities from Changi and account for 7 per cent of the airport's traffic.

'The potential for growth is tremendous,' he said. 'Budget travel in Asia is still in its infancy, comprising 5 per cent of the intra-regional market, as opposed to 10 per cent in Europe, 25 per cent in the US and 40 per cent in Australia. And the vast proportion of Asean's 500 million people have never flown before, presenting a large potential pool of air travellers. If we add the combined population of 2.3 billion in China and India, there is an exciting possibility that intra-Asian air travel will one day overtake even the US.'

Separately, Singapore Airlines affiliate Tiger Airways said yesterday it is seeking routes to India. Its chief executive Tony Davis told BT the airline has applied for Extended Twin Engine Operations (Etops) certification so it can fly to India. Etops allows twin-engine planes to travel long distances over stretches of water or large uninhabited land masses where there are no airports nearby.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

^
Aiyo.....strait time published wrong info......the size of the terminal should be 25000 sqm instead of 25000 sq ft...... :bash:

Renderings on Lianhe Zaobao(5/5/05):

http://img220.echo.cx/img220/2677/pic0192913oa.jpg

They really need to do somethin about the exterior, I hope that ain't the real thing, will be an eyesore, I mean it's a budget terminal, alright, but not like that hehe.

maybe they want to make it 'fun' and 'holiday' themed, but I too think they dont need to go to that extent.

This story was printed from TODAYonline

Fly the cheapo skies

Squatting toilets, pasar malam and pokies at our Integrated Budget Terminal

Friday • May 6, 2005

So, we are going to get a budget airport.

Oh, so sorry. Low-Cost Terminal. And it is not budget airlines, okay? It's Low-Cost Carriers. Singapore very classy one. We all here is hub, ok? We don't want no budget airlines or cheap flights.

We cater to Low-Cost Carriers with our Low-Cost Terminal, so that we can target the Low-Cost Traveller.

And they are asking for the public to suggest names for the new terminal.

This is my first stab at it. How about "Changi Hub for Economical Airfares and Packages", or C.H.E.A.P? We could even call it Terminal C, or TC for short. We'll have T1, T2 and TC.

I hear that the new terminal will be mostly air-conditioned. That is good to know. In Singapore, air-conditioning is not a luxury, it is life support. With the crazy 35-degree heat we have been experiencing these days, we'll have travellers wilting inside the new terminal before they even reach the taxi-stand. And you know how messy it is to have to clean up wilted travellers off the floor.

I am inspired by this new development and my mind is full of budget ideas.

For instance, the toilets will not be like the swanky ones in T1 and T2, where the cleaning crew cleans the toilet every five minutes and a cleaner is permanently stationed there.

In fact, the T1 and T2 toilets are so clean you can probably sleep on the floor.

All this for free too.

No, I think our new CHEAP Terminal will have one of those 10-cents-per-entry kind of toilets; 20 cents if you want toilet paper. Oh, sorry, must use classier words: bathroom tissue.

If you think you may be using the toilet frequently, you can pay $200 a year to get unlimited entry.

And because we don't want to turn off foreign tourists, they can use the budget toilets for free. We locals understand.

Other things we can consider for our Low-Cost Toilets are ideas like 100-per-cent squatting bowls and doorless cubicles.

Squatting bowls are cheaper to install, and low maintenance.

Except, I think, you need to include some instructions on the walls for foreigners used to the sitting kind.

It is very costly to have to send the fire department in to extract a stuck tourist who tried to sit in a squatting loo.

As for doors, I say we don't need them.

People will only use doors to draw graffiti on (which is against our national policy of only allowing approved graffiti to be drawn on framed canvases and hung on building walls).

If anyone is shy, he can squat the other way, back facing the entrance of the cubicle. That way, no one can see your face. Easy.

Of course, we must not have cushioned seats in the terminal. These are expensive and hard to maintain and open to vandalism. I suggest those metal bars they use in bus stops and buses.

The kind where you are not so much sitting as you are leaning your bum against something. That will minimise loitering, and because fewer people will loiter in the CHEAP Terminal, less air-con will be used. Added cost savings!

Instead of a shopping mall inside, we can have a pasar malam. Low-Cost travellers can pick out exciting bargains from the quintessential Singapore Night Market, like Taiwanese sausages, 21-song compilation CDs and er, OEM computer games.

In fact, we should even have a hawker centre (not food court, ah!) and a wet market in there too, so that passengers who are looking to save money cooking their own meals while staying in sunny Singapore can buy their fresh eggs, chickens and fish, after picking up their luggage.

And they can enjoy smelling like the hawker centre after eating there, for a lasting memory of Singapore.

Oh, you can ta-pao if you cannot finish. Our friendly airport hawkers will be happy to assist.

We should also do away with those stylish airport luggage trolleys. Maybe use some supermarket trolleys that passengers have to insert a $1 coin to rent. The $1 is non-refundable, of course.

Forget lifts and escalators, too. These need electricity. Stairs should be the preferred mode of moving people up and down. It is also good exercise.

Older passengers who have problems with climbing up and down stairs can be rolled up and down by helpful staff.

The main entrance to Terminal C should also be equipped with push-type doors. Those auto-opening glass doors use electricity and naughty children like to run in and out just to see them open. Porters can be on hand to open the doors for people who have their hands full. For a small fee, of course.

Actually, I was thinking of how to further tie in the new CHEAP Terminal with our future casinos. Oh, sorry. Integrated Resorts. The casino portion of the IRs can be allowed to operate their off-site extensions here.

Low-cost travellers can spend their loose change on the exciting Integrated jackpot machines installed at the Low-Cost Terminal. The jackpot machines will accept cash, Nets, Cashcard and ezlink cards for complete convenience. Then, we will have a truly Integrated Low-Cost Terminal.

And to complete the experience, we can get those illegal void deck gambling dens to set up shop here. No longer will they need to be on the look-out for the police or make arrangements with people conducting funerals to set up gambling tables.

We can have them set up legally in the new CHEAP Terminal and give tourists a taste of the Singapore underbelly. Squatting on chairs will be permitted. They are already squatting in the toilets anyway.

I am such an airport design genius.

mr brown is the accidental author of a popular website that has been documenting the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. He thinks budget carriers should go all the way and introduce standing-only flights. If you have a view on this, email us at news@newstoday.com.sg

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

i wonder what they mean when they say 'mostly air-conditioned'

Well...the existing terminals are also "mostly air-conditioned" what. :D

really? which parts aren't?

Interesting, "mostly air conditioned". :)

I too am interested to know what it means.

really? which parts aren't?
The bus terminal which i use quite often! :D

oh :o forgot that

Interesting, "mostly air conditioned". :)

I too am interested to know what it means.

Our core interests, in SIA, must be protected. The secession of Changi-class amenities will lessen the advantageous impact the main terminals have on the budget terminal.

The Week Kim Wee Terminal sugested in the forum page is quite good. :D

but a "wee kim wee terminal" name for a budget terminal... doesnt sound really appropriate to me though..

yarlor. it should be named something that reflects its nature. something that sounds typical singaporean cheap and tacky. maybe uhmmm Budgetopolis.

budget-hub maybe? to feed our appetite for international hubs :D

In risk of having something tacky and obnoxious, why not just name it regional flights terminal? Simple.

the govt would never settle for something like that. i imagine one of the naming requirements is to have an @ sign. Budget@Changi!

To shamelessly rip off mrbrown,

What's wrong with Changi Hub for Economical Airfares and Packages? :)

the govt would never settle for something like that. i imagine one of the naming requirements is to have an @ sign. Budget@Changi!

So it can be CHEAP@Changi then!

Where the first "C" stands for "Cool" :lol:

ah alliterations will go well with the govt naming committee :)

C@C or B@C

maybe Aéroport de Budget @ Changi, to make ABC

How about
1.) Stamford Hub or Stamford Terminal
2.) Raffles Terminal
Both sounds nice and it reflects singapore's history too.

Wah...if Wee Kim Wee cant be cheapened, then Raffles can meh? :D

The author said it loh....after Wee is a humble and down to earth person who loves to serve the masses and be with the common people. Dosent that sound exactly like a budget terminal? ;)

I dunno about you but i don't really like the name wee kim wee terminal. Sounds abit weird and cheesy.

Yeah..but if they can have JFK, CDG, and CKS airports, why not this? :D

I'm not sure if it sounds right...Wee Kim Wee Terminal..thought they wanted to use his name for other purposes?

then again, if we can have numerous road names and stuff named after former colonials whom we probably dont know how they looked, then this isnt really any harm...but Changi is about utility...Budget Terminal sounds easiest to understand :cool:

Rafflescity terminal!

:roflmao:

no...I am sure people are getting feddup about the overusage of that term already

..i tought of it to.. Raffies Terminal! :yes: :cool:

The roof@Changi. :D

how about SINGBUD TERMINAL/SINGBUD@CHANGI?

Why not just Terminal 4?

Why not just Terminal 4?

Or Baby Terminal 04........:lol: :jk: :jk: :jk: :jk:

Or Baby Terminal 04........:lol: :jk: :jk: :jk: :jk:

it is written in the newspaper that terminal 4 the name is out of list
(as there are already three terminal so they did not want the budget terminal to be called T4)

it is written in the newspaper that terminal 4 the name is out of list
(as there are already three terminal so they did not want the budget terminal to be called T4)

Just joking.......(saw the :jk: sign?? ;) )

yup ok

Lets just keep it nice and traditional,

Singapore International Budget Aviation Centre

SIBAC (pronounced -> seaback)

:D

not bad :)

How about Tiger Airways flying to Lion Terminal? :D

Singapore's very own Low Cost Terminal is coming your way in early 2006

Come early 2006, travellers can look forward to Singapore's new low cost
terminal. This new low cost terminal developed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) caters specially to low cost carriers and budget
travellers. The new terminal is part of CAAS' continuous effort to grow
Singapore into an aviation hub by facilitating operations of all airlines,
including budget airlines.

This new terminal is designed to provide functional and basic service
primarily for frequent business travellers, frequent leisure travellers and
new travellers visiting Singapore. Despite the no frills, low costs concept
of the terminal, the infrastructure and quality of the terminal will be
comparable to Terminal 1 and 2. The colourful design and vibrant ambience
of the new terminal will definitely create a great new experience for its
passengers.

Arriving and Departing

The new terminal will consist of two adjacent single-storey buildings
connected via link ways. Arrivals and Departures will be processed in
separate blocks. Departing passengers will check in for their flights, clear
departure immigration, security screening and wait at one of the six
boarding areas in the departure building before walking about 15m to 20m to
the aircraft. Arriving passengers will walk from the aircraft to the arrival
building via a link way, where they will clear arrival immigration before
collecting their baggage.

Shops, Restaurants & Services

Passengers can expect the same convenience services available at the new low
cost terminal such as money changers, duty-free shopping and restaurants.
Moreover there will also be a shuttle service ferrying travellers to and fro the
existing terminals at Changi Airport.

The key difference between the new low-cost terminal and Changi's other
terminals is that it will not have any aerobridges, thus lowering the
charges for the airlines. This translates into cost savings off the service
charge benefiting the passengers.

Below is an illustrative impression of what you can expect from the LCT.

Departure Block Exterior

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/images/FS_LCT_Perspective1.jpg

The drop-off kerbside and traffic light road crossing will be designed with handicap-friendly features. The traffic light will facilitate movement of passengers between the departure block, car park and bus stop. The departure block façade will be designed to allow some infusion of natural light to brighten up the check-in area.

Restricted Area (Shopping/ F&B facilities)

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/images/FS_LCT_Perspective2.jpg

Interesting shops and F&B outlets will line the main access into the restricted area. The colour scheme for wall, floor, ceiling and column finishes will be carefully chosen to express the cheerfulness and relaxing ambience of the terminal. Building services such as air-con ducts will be concealed so as not to mar the aesthetics of the shopping and F&B areas.

Passenger Boarding Zone and Arrival Corridor

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/images/FS_LCT_Perspective3.jpg

Arriving passengers will need to walk up the ramp and along a naturally ventilated corridor on the mezzanine floor to reach the arrival block where they would go through immigration before collecting their baggage. The area below the mezzanine corridor is the passenger boarding zone where departing passengers would queue in line to wait for boarding. Some seats are provided but only intended for use by handicapped or elderly passengers.

Boarding

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/images/FS_LCT_Perspective4.jpg

The terminal will not have aerobridges. Passengers will walk on the tarmac to access the aircraft parked on the apron fronting the Low Cost Terminal (LCT). The distance from the passenger boarding zone to the first door of an aircraft parked on the LCT apron is around 15-20cm.

Public Transportation

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/images/FS_LCT_Perspective5.jpg

Travellers will have a variety of public transport modes to choose from when they arrive at the Low Cost Terminal (taxi, maxi-cab, public bus and shuttle bus). Access to these public transportation facilities are conveniently located within 5-minute walking distance from the Greeters' Hall.

Arrival Block Exterior

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/images/FS_LCT_Perspective6.jpg

The arrival kerbside driveway is designed to be recessed from the main road serving the LCC terminal to avoid having vehicles picking up arrival passengers blocking the flow of departure kerbside road traffic. Like the departure block, the arrival block façade will also be designed to allow natural light to illuminate the building.

Restricted Area (Shopping / F&B facilities)

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/images/FS_LCT_Perspective7.jpg

The exciting mix of shopping and F&B facilities provided in the restricted area will pre-occupy the passengers until it is time for boarding. Passengers will access their respective gates in the passenger boarding zone through a prominently located entrance visible from anywhere in the restricted area.

http://www.changi.airport.com.sg/changi/feature_external.jsp;jsessionid=CQCGtDkn1xvs1AixfHnWF1zr1DG5hv0yEjja9nEafXnlzI82f1JX!556437497!-1062718459!7005!8005?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302023755&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181058&bmUID=1116733958562

SO UGLY :(

The location of the terminal (from changi website)

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/LCT/images/Location_Plan.jpg

http://webadmin.caas.gov.sg/Changi/Features/LCT/images/Location_Plan.jpg

01 June 2005

Contest launched to find name for Singapore's new low-cost terminal

SINGAPORE : The contest is on to find a name for Singapore's new low-cost terminal in Changi.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is looking for one that best reflects the role and function of the terminal, which is being built to facilitate the operations of low-cost carriers at Changi Airport.

The winner will get $2,000 and a 3G mobile phone worth more than a $1,000.

Participants also stand to win four 3G mobile phones and 12 pairs of air tickets to some Asian destinations in a lucky draw.

The contest is open to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents.

Those interested have till end of the July to submit their entries.

Contest forms are available at community libraries and the Arrival Halls of both Terminals 1 and 2.

Participants can also submit their entries online at Changi Airport's website.

The low-cost terminal is expected to be ready in early 2006.

Construction works have already begun.

The terminal will be made up of two adjacent single-storey buildings connected via link ways to facilitate seamless passenger flow for arrival and departure procedures.

Services will include money changers, duty-free shopping, food and beverage outlets, and a shuttle bus service that will connect them to Changi Airport's Terminals 1 and 2.

There will also be ramps to make it easier for the less mobile travellers to move about. - CNA/de

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

i feel like pelting the low cost terminal with eggs. if there are feedback forms i'll fill up plenty.

28 May 2005

it is more to the right of the pic...not sure what else they seem to be building though.

http://img33.echo.cx/img33/1843/budgett0gh.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Post pics of Terminal 2 airside plus landside etc etc etc...can you take pictures in planes? I wonder just how much progress there is on the departure kerbside canopy...

I wanted to take pics of T2 interior but alas, took only 1, nevertheless I did take a pic of the sunflower smoking garden.

The canopy seems much more complete now and is beginning to be impressive.

So far I have always been able to take pics in planes.

sunflower smoking garden?

haha...understandable...sunflower smoking garden...haha...poor sunflowers...

so any shots of changi at all? or hkia? or hk transport? did you go up on any of the 400m(???) observation decks?

@hya

yes, Changi actually does have a sunflower garden which is at the smoking roofdeck of T2. But admittedly it is warm up there with the sun and aircraft heat...but looks nice.

I didnt take any airport pics on this trip, but I do have some T1 pics from my last flight in December which I can post.

I went up 4 observation decks on this trip and entered the Bank of China. I'll post those pics in the respective forums.

Updates (17/7/05):

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/5116/budgetterminalpano14kt.jpg

The slanting roof
http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/6076/pic0338310em.jpg

Sept 23, 2005
Tiger is only carrier set for low-cost terminal
Other budget airlines yet to sign up for new Changi site, to be ready early next year

By Arthur Poon

WITH just months to the opening of the new low-cost terminal at Changi Airport, only one airline has so far signed up to use it - Tiger Airways.

Singapore's other low-cost airline, Jetstar Asia, said yesterday that moving to the new terminal is not a priority as it focuses on consolidating the company following its recent merger with Valuair.

A Jetstar spokesman said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) had invited the company to use the new terminal. 'The proposal is under evaluation but there is no time frame for us to reach a conclusion.'

Budget travellers may not be worse off if Jetstar forgoes the lower charges at the new terminal, as they can continue to enjoy the better facilities offered at Terminal 1, said Mr Vincent Ng, an aviation analyst with Standard and Poor's Equity Research.

Another budget carrier expected to use the low-cost terminal, Thai AirAsia - an associate of Malaysia's AirAsia - said it has not even been wooed.

AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said: 'We are keen to utilise the new low-cost terminal given that the cost and facilities are right. But no one has approached Thai AirAsia on this yet.'

Thai AirAsia has been flying between Singapore and Bangkok since February last year.

The low-cost terminal will be about a twelfth the size of Changi's Terminal 1, with a capacity to handle about 2.7 million passengers a year. The $45 million single-storey complex is expected to be completed early next year.

Asked if Tiger may turn out to be the only carrier using the terminal, a CAAS spokesman replied: 'There are other airlines which have expressed interest and we will continue to discuss with them on their needs. We welcome all carriers to use the low-cost terminal if it meets their operational requirements.'

She declined to comment on whether the interested parties included full-service carriers.

So far, only 'Tiger Airways confirmed that it will be using the low-cost terminal when it is ready', the spokesman said.

This week, Tiger said it hoped to fly three million passengers next year, a sixfold increase from this year, due to planned expansions in the airline's fleet and network.

Tiger will experiment with 'pan-regional' routes - those that bypass Singapore - by introducing a Manila-Macau service from next month. However, most of its passengers are still expected to pass through Singapore and this could mean Tiger alone could provide the level of traffic the new terminal needs to succeed.

Tiger's chief executive, Mr Tony Davis, said: 'The terminal provides us with a lower cost base, allowing us to keep our costs down and this, in turn, helps us to keep our fares low.'

However, he declined to say how much his airline would enjoy in cost savings.

Airlines that use the terminal could cut their parking and other charges by 25 per cent, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said in May.

According to the latest CAAS figures, budget carriers now account for 9 per cent of Changi's scheduled weekly flights, operating 179 flights to 17 cities. It is a dramatic increase from just six months ago, when they operated only 70 weekly flights to six cities.

The opening of the low-cost terminal may coincide with that of the RM108 million (S$48 million) no-frills terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The Changi facility will have separate arrival and departure halls with their own duty-free retail outlets. It will, however, not have expensive plasma TVs, travellators or aerobridges.

Passengers will also have to walk 15m to 20m on the tarmac between the terminal and the aircraft.

arthurp@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved

Saw the terminal today.....seems like the structure is almost complete...:yes:

(Wanted to go and take picture but the bus driver forget to stop at the busstop.....:bash: )

is it as ugly as in the renderings?

is it as ugly as in the renderings?

Can't tell yet.....:yes:

This story was printed from TODAYonline

LCC terminal a white elephant?

Tiger only carrier committed so far as CAAS welcomes all airlines

Weekend • October 22, 2005

Singapore will open its $45-million low-cost airline terminal in a few months, even though it risks becoming a white elephant, with only one carrier committed to using it.

The terminal is due to open early next year, but so far only Singapore Airlines' low-cost affiliate Tiger Airways plans to operate from it.

Singapore was the first country in the region to take advantage of the rapid growth in low-cost carriers, or LCCs, and announce plans to build a low-cost terminal. However, with the limited response, the Republic is now prepared to open it to full service airlines as well, putting it in competition with Changi Airport.

"We welcome all airlines to use the low-cost terminal" if it meets their needs, a Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) spokeswoman said.

CAAS is in discussions with some full-service airlines that have expressed interest, the spokeswoman said, without identifying the carriers. The single-floor complex will be about a twelfth the size of Changi Airport's Terminal One and will be able to handle 2.7 million passengers a year, with scope for further expansion should more airlines want to use it.

Tiger carried half a million passengers in the 12 months ended Sept 30, providing an indication of how many airlines the CAAS was anticipating would use the terminal. Singapore's other LCC, Qantas Airways affiliate Jetstar Asia, is not interested in using the terminal.

"We don't see the benefit for passengers if we go to the low-cost terminal. Who wants to walk across the tarmac when it is raining?" a Jetstar Asia spokeswoman said.

The low-cost terminal will be located near Changi Airport. Passengers will have to walk up to 20 metres on the tarmac between the terminal and the aircraft. Analysts say airlines using the terminal could cut their parking and other charges by 25 per cent to 30 per cent

Another possible customer for the terminal is Thai AirAsia, an affiliate of Malaysia's AirAsia, but the airline has yet to decide. Singapore "has held discussions with Thai AirAsia representatives on a number of occasions, and Thai AirAsia is still considering," the CAAS spokeswoman said.

She added that the terminal will open even if no other airline wants to use it. — Dow Jones

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

is it as ugly as in the renderings?
the "ugliness" will only come in later... when they start the painting :D

why can't they save a bit more cost and dont paint instead :(

^^^ yeh! it will look better that way! :D

News article stating that the new budget terminal feature a Baggage Reconciliation Room....:yes:

廉价航空终站 行李安检室能防爆

林顺华(2005-10-30)

　　正在兴建中的廉价航空终站虽没有登机桥、不会铺设地毯、部分建筑也无冷气装置,但新加坡民航局在处理终站的保安课题时,却丝毫没有放松。

　　民航局计划在廉价航空终站设立一个能承受爆炸威力的行李安检室(Baggage Reconciliation Room),日前已邀请承包商竞标有关工程。

　　国际航空运输协会(IATA)亚太区发言人钟接庆在回答本报询问时指出,虽然其他国家的机场也设有行李安检室,但大多都不具备承受爆炸威力的功能。樟宜机场的廉价航空终站最终如果落实有关计划,将成为开创先例的“少数分子”。

　　他说:“航空公司和政府机构一定要携手来确保全球航空业的安全。在这方面,樟宜机场一直都采取非常主动积极的态度,履行了它应尽的责任。”

承包商须有经验

　　根据民航局的招标文件,行李安检室的面积将比一般房间更长更高,而且要能承受一定重量和类别的爆炸物。该格局要具备足够的“防爆”能力,以便在发生状况时,整个建筑结构将不受影响。

　　民航局并没有透露所关注的爆炸物重量和类别,也不愿说明工程预算。不过,竞标承包商须拥有这方面的国内外设计经验,才有资格参与。

　　据知,机场保安人员一般上若发现可疑行李,可要求乘客把行李带入行李安检室接受进一步的检查。

　　由于乘搭廉价航空客机的乘客通常都不会办理行李托运手续,而是随身携带上机,因此有关保安设施对确保廉价航空终站的整体安全更加重要。

　　至于樟宜机场的第一和第二搭客大厦,民航局耗资8000万元设立的高科技行李检查系统,也在“幕后”检查每一件托运行李。新系统利用电脑断层扫描机(Computer Tomography Scanner)从多个角度扫描行李,可探测出行李内是否藏有任何爆炸物。

　　系统一旦发现有高度可疑的行李,就自动把行李送入一个椭圆形兼密封的危险物处理器,销毁其中的爆炸物。

　　民航局已分别在去年9月和今年1月,于第一和第二搭客大厦启用新系统。此外,当局也计划在第二搭客大厦装置超过400台闭路电视,24小时监视机场内外的活动,查看可疑的人、物以及车辆。

　　根据招标文件,系统一旦发现有行李长时间地遗留一旁,或是有车子停放太久,便得发出警报提醒值勤的保安人员。

　　樟宜机场在保安方面的努力日前受到肯定,获得美国一份具有影响力的双周刊《机场保安报告》颁发国际机场组“机场保安卓越奖”(Excellence in Airport　Security Award)。

　　针对廉价航空终站的工程进展,民航局发言人表示“一切顺利,相信可如期在明年初启用”。

《联合早报》

(编辑:陈颖佳 )

wah.. the security at the budget terminal will be higher than that of the main service terminal? :O

wah.. the security at the budget terminal will be higher than that of the main service terminal? :O

Equally good......:yes:

Just heard on the Channel 8 news that the budget terminal will be opening on March 2006. Airport tax will be S$13......:yes:

December 15, 2005

S'pore low cost terminal to open its doors next yr

Singapore’s terminal for low cost carriers will open its doors in March next year.

Travelers departing from the new terminal will pay a passenger charge of $13.

This is much lower than the $21 fee at Changi Airport’s Terminals 1 and 2.

The single-storey terminal has no travellators, escalators and aerobridges.

Travelers however can enjoy a free shuttle bus service to link passengers to Changi Airport’s existing terminals, and vice versa.

Services and facilities such as money changers, Internet facilities, duty-free shopping, and food and beverage outlets will also be available at the terminal.

Copyright © 2005 MediaCorp Radio Internet Development Unit

http://www.938live.sg/ListDetail.aspx?SubCategoryID=2&Diff=0&Catgrp=News#5270

Business Times - 15 Dec 2005

S'pore to open new budget airline terminal in March 2006

SINGAPORE - Singapore said on Thursday it would officially open its new purpose-built budget terminal in March 2006.

Changi Airport's new wing 'will initially be able to handle about 2.7 million passengers a year', said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore in a statement. 'There is scope for further expansion should more carriers decide to use the terminal.'

Tiger Airways, an offshoot of national carrier Singapore Airlines, has committed to using the new terminal. It is not immediately clear how many others intend to do so.

CAAS said passengers who use the terminal would save more than 50 per cent on service charges, while airlines would escape aerobridge charges. -- AP

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dec 16, 2005
Low-cost terminal opens in March
Tax will be $13, instead of usual $21; airlines to benefit from lower terminal charges

By Karamjit Kaur
Transport Correspondent

PASSENGERS who use Changi Airport's new low-cost terminal, which will open on March 26, will pay $13 in departure tax, instead of the $21 at the main terminals.

The charge is lower than expected and, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), is the lowest for international flights among airports in the region.

It had been said, when plans for the new facility were first drawn up, that passengers would probably pay about $18.

The CAAS, which announced the terminal rates and opening date yesterday, said the departure tax has two parts - $7 for passenger service and $6 for security charges.

At the main terminals, the passenger service charge is $15, but the security tax is the same because the same security systems will be used at all terminals, said the CAAS.

A free shuttle bus will link the low-cost terminal and the main terminals at Changi Airport, a five-minute ride away.

Airlines which use the new facility will be able to halve their costs.

There will be no discount for parking and landing fees, since all carriers will use the same runways, taxiways and other airside services.

But office space and check-in counters will be cheaper to rent, and there will be no aerobridge charge because passengers will walk about 15m to 20m across the tarmac to board the aircraft.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which had discussions with the CAAS on the terminal rates, said yesterday that the charges were fair.

IATA Asia-Pacific spokesman Albert Tjoeng said: 'We have said from the onset that there should be a level playing field for all airlines, whether budget or full-service.'

So far, only Tiger Airways has said it will use the new terminal, which consists of two adjacent single-storey buildings, one housing the departure hall and the other handling arrivals.

Full-service airlines can use the new terminal, but none has shown interest so far.

A key problem is that there will be no elaborate baggage transfer system like those in Terminals 1 and 2, so passengers with connecting flights must carry their bags on the bus and check them in again for their next flight.

The low-cost terminal, which can handle 2.7 million passengers a year, a tenth of the capacity of Terminal 1 or 2, is the first in the region. Malaysia and Thailand have announced similar plans to build their own budget terminals.

Mr Wong Woon Liong, CAAS' director-general of civil aviation, said: 'With budget travel becoming more prevalent in this region, we are doing what we can to promote the growth of this segment of air travel in Singapore.'

karam@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Budget Terminal Update (16/12/05):

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c121/ylstan01/DSC010961.jpg

They haven't finish painting but I can see why they can halve the fees for airlines using the terminal........really look quite "no frills" from the outside....:yes:

omg, gruesome

you can see the purple they'r gonna paint there... ewww

C'mon, at least save the money on the yellow and purple paints, It'll look better white.

Reminds me of those US outlet malls.:D

or a GIANT supermarket along some highway in malaysia.

or a GIANT supermarket along some highway in malaysia.

Actually looks like Courts to me.....:lol:

i know what it is....
its a 2nd hand car dealer showroom!

:lol:

Hmm....anything but an airport terminal......:lol:

^^ YEH! hahahahha

may I knoe the Name for this terminal??

may I knoe the Name for this terminal??

They had not release the official name for the terminal yet....:yes:

I shall guess...

Singapore Budget / Low-cost Airport
Budget Airport @ Changi
Budget Terminal @ Changi

Orchid Budget Airport

all these names do fit the cheap look of the terminal, so why not!

the colour looks really garish

oh well...I suppose the construction cost is relatively cheap should they decide to U-turn on the terminal

I think they'll try all means to prevent a U turn......:yes:

hopefully it will be a success...but something about the way this terminal has moved so swiftly through suggest that it might also be 'testing' the market in the short term...

or a GIANT supermarket along some highway in malaysia.

agree..Giant supermarket lookalike...but at least its more colourful than the KLIA's LCC..hehehe..

It looks so revolting.,................

This 25,000 sqm terminal was completed on 28 Dec 2005 and will open on 26 March 2006. Functional, colourful (perhaps even a little overboard at times) and comfortable, it will have 18 check-in counters, 7 departure gates, 10 aircraft parking bays, 3 arrival baggage carousels and 300 car parking lots.

Arriving at the terminal for your flight, you will be greeted by the creamy yellow and eggplant purple departure building.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-01zr-09Jan2006-Depar.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-02zr-09Jan2006-Depar.jpg

As you enter the departure building, you will be greeted by a spartan check-in hall with a row of 18 brick-red check-in counters.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-03zr-09Jan2006-ChkIn.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-04zr-09Jan2006-ChkIn.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-05zr-09Jan2006-ChkIn.jpg

Once you have checked in, look to your left and you will see an entrance below the big "DEPARTURE" sign.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-15zr-09Jan2006-Depar.jpg

This takes you into the Immigration Clearance area where there are 4 immigration counters and 6 express automated immigration lanes. Beyond that, you will go through centralised security screening - unlike in T1 and T2 where one is security screened only at the boarding gates.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-06zr-09Jan2006-Centr.jpg

After screening, you are in another big hall where there are concessionaires such as DFS Duty Free shop, Seven Eleven supermarket, Chocolates by King Power, Hang Ten apparels, Tiny Toons toys, Nuts&Nibble, Times NewLink, Carlo Rino fashion accessories, Nuance-Watson, Killiney KopiTiam, Genki Sushi, Han's plus two as-yet unawarded concessions for sporting goods and general merchandise.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-13zr-09Jan2006-Depar.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-07zr-09Jan2006-Depar.jpg

Just before boarding commences, the gate number will flash on the Flight Info screens and you will proceed for boarding towards that psychedelic coloured wall. Once there, you will see a long cream-coloured departure corridor.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-08zr-09Jan2006-Gates.jpg

When you enter the arrival immigration hall, it is again airconditioned. There are 7 immigration lanes and 7 express automated immigration lanes. Your luggage will be delivered on one of three baggage carousels.

When you exit the arrival hall, it looks just like this.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-10zr-09Jan2006-Arriv.jpg

There are taxi stands and the public bus-stop is a short walk away (mind you, this is unsheltered so make sure your brollies are ready during the wet season). Alternatively, you could elect to take the shuttle bus to T2 (and from there via Skytrain to T1). This shuttle bus operates every 15 mins.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/juanwy/BudgetTerminal-11zr-09Jan2006-Shutt.jpg

^ Hmm....not as bad as I thought......:yes:

Other than the ugly WHITE empty walls (behind the check in counters and scattered around the terminal building), the terminal actually looks quite good! It has this domestic airport & budget airport feel to it, a cosy feel where things move slower there... Not too bad for a budget terminal. People fail to realize that this is a budget airport and that this design is already as good as it can get...

At least the usual excellent Changi Airport signage is there, and the shops are there and the facilities (huge plasma tv) are there.

Other than the ugly WHITE empty walls (behind the check in counters and scattered around the terminal building), the terminal actually looks quite good! It has this domestic airport & budget airport feel to it, a cosy feel where things move slower there... Not too bad for a budget terminal. People fail to realize that this is a budget airport and that this design is already as good as it can get...

At least the usual excellent Changi Airport signage is there, and the shops are there and the facilities (huge plasma tv) are there.

Haha....the plasma display doesn't seem that budget.....:lol:

not bad lah the terminal... on par with international terminals in some countries already...

@ndp, are u a journalist? how come u can gain entrance into the terminal?

not bad :D looks interesting :D

Haha....the plasma display doesn't seem that budget.....:lol:

I think the plasmas are sponsored, as a way for the manufacturer to advertise their products, LIKE the ever changing models of plasma displays on Channel 8 news.

alrite.. now i think it looks quite decent for a budget terminal...
or at least it looks MUCH BETTER than this
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-01-15/front_caas.jpg

and they scrapped the budget terminal naming competition, leaving it to be called "BUDGET TERMINAL" ?

@ndp
great pics! thanks for sharing them :D

I think the plasmas are sponsored, as a way for the manufacturer to advertise their products, LIKE the ever changing models of plasma displays on Channel 8 news.

That explains....:yes:

actually, i love the spartanness of it, if only they didnt try to spice it up with colours. an all white great hall would be lovely to look at. the exterior should pretend to be a barn or osmething.

Wah so surprised.....That is an aspect of the terminal that Heirloom loves....:lol:

Oh dear, it looks temporary! Not even linked to the skytrain as well? How long did it take to build?

:)

WOW!!!

Looks much much better than that horrendous original colour scheme!!!!


But....
Looks like a warehouse...

The name for "Budget Terminal" is "Budget Terminal"


Simply Budget Terminal
Singapore's first low-cost terminal named and ready for take-off in March

Tor Ching Li
chingli@newstoday.com.sg

SINGAPORE'S first budget terminal has been named — what else? — the Budget Terminal.
.
Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong presented the winner of the "Low Cost Terminal Naming Contest" — 15-year-old Jonathan Sng of St Andrew's Secondary School — with a StarHub-sponsored cash prize of $2,000 and a 3G mobile phone, during a site inspection of the completed airport yesterday.
.
While 44 of the 12,000 or so entries had suggested "Budget Terminal", it was Jonathan's justification for the name — "short, easy to remember and representative of what the terminal is" — that clinched him the award, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
.
Other suggestions submitted during the three-month contest period included "Funport", "Seabreeze Terminal", "Oasis Terminal" and "Orchid Air Terminal".
.
Naming the no-frills airport was a no-brainer for Jonathan, who told Today he thought of it over a few minutes during recess.
.
Following a tour of the 25,000- sq-m airport, Mr Yeo told reporters: "When the design was drawn up, the worry was that it would be a very basic, boring building. But looking at the colour and layout, there is a sense of cheerfulness."
.
Completed last month, the Budget Terminal, which features a yellow facade, rainbow-coloured walls and an arrival hall done up in lime green, will open its gates for operations on March 26.
.
Singapore Airlines-owned budget carrier Tiger Airways is currently the only airline that will be basing its operations there.
.
Said Mr Yeo: "CAAS is still talking to other carriers. Some have told us they are not interested, while a few are still studying the idea."
.
Nevertheless, based on Tiger Airways' projections, the airport, which cost $45 million to build, should be able to break even within a couple of years, he said.
.
Revenue sources include the collection of passenger service charges and the rental of commercial space: 3,000 sq m has been set aside for 13 retail outlets, four food kiosks and a restaurant.
.
Stressed Mr Yeo said: "Our philosophy is that every terminal should be viable on its own. It's our job to keep costs down so that the terminals are viable. We can expect a bit of loss in the first few years but it doesn't matter as we're looking at the long term. The terminal is going to be here for the next 50 years, so if we break even after a few years, we should be quite happy."
.
Low-cost travel makes up about 10 per cent of Changi Airport's 4,000 weekly flights. The Budget Terminal can handle 2.7 million passengers a year, with space to expand if necessary.
Singapore's first low-cost terminal named and ready for take-off in March

Another ''Marina Bay'' naming competition...

Seems like the most obvious of names wins in naming competitions...

Another S$2000 gone...

Jan 10, 2006
Budget terminal will have shops, food and Internet kiosks
But passengers will have to walk to planes when facility opens on March 26

By Karamjit Kaur
Transport Correspondent

PASSENGERS using Changi Airport's new budget terminal, which opens on March 26, need not travel empty-handed, hungry or bored.

But they might have trouble finding a seat in the waiting areas. They also need to be prepared to walk between the terminal and the aircraft. And wheelchair-bound travellers have so far not been catered for.

The terminal, a five-minute bus ride away from the main Changi Airport, will have 13 shops, a restaurant and four food kiosks. Passengers will have free Internet access at eight kiosks in the departure hall, where there will also be two television sets.

But in keeping with its low-cost, no-frills design, the new facility will not have aerobridges, so returning passengers will have to walk about 250m along a sheltered corridor to the arrivals hall. Departing passengers have a shorter 20m walk across the tarmac to board the aircraft.

There are not that many seats at the terminal either, especially in the passenger holding rooms where people wait to board. Each room can hold 180 people but has fewer than 20 chairs.

The rationale is that many budget airlines do not allocate seats, so passengers will end up standing in line anyway to ensure they can be the first aboard and get good seats.

The building is wheelchair-friendly but not the flights. The wheelchair-bound cannot board the aircraft as there are no aerobridges, and Tiger Airways - the only airline so far that has agreed to use the new terminal - does not provide for those with 'reduced mobility', according to its website.

As there are fewer facilities at the $45 million new facility, the passenger departure tax will be $13, lower than the $21 charged at the main terminals.

Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong toured the completed building yesterday, and said he liked what he saw. 'This may be a budget terminal but I think they (users) are going to be able to get very good service.'

He is not worried that Tiger Airways is the only airline that has said it would use the new Changi terminal.

'Based on the projections of Tiger, we would be able to at least break even within a couple of years,' he said, adding that he would be 'quite happy' with that. It was more important for Singapore to offer the service, he added.

When contacted yesterday, a spokesman for Singapore's other low-cost airline, Jetstar Asia, said that for now, it would stick to operating from Terminal 1.

He did not elaborate, but The Straits Times understands that one drawback of the budget terminal is that it would be inconvenient for passengers who are connecting to other flights at the main Changi terminals. They would have to lug their bags, take the shuttle bus to the main airport and check in again.

Free buses will run every 15 minutes between the budget terminal and the main airport's Terminal 2, where the MRT station and bus interchange are located.

Meanwhile, the operator of the new terminal, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, has also finally settled on an official name for the new facility. It was picked after a two-month contest won by teenager Jonathan Sng, 15, who received a $2,000 cash prize and a mobile phone.

The winning name, chosen from among more than 12,000 entries: Budget Terminal.

karam@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved

The winning name, chosen from among more than 12,000 entries: Budget Terminal.



OMGGGGggggagdsgdggHAHAHAHA

Business Times - 10 Jan 2006

Budget airline terminal could break even in a few years

This is despite only one carrier signing up to use it so far

By VEN SREENIVASAN

(SINGAPORE) Singapore's $45 million low-cost airline terminal is expected to break even after a few years, despite only one budget carrier having signed up to use it so far.

'No venture becomes viable overnight, but I think within a couple of years we should be able to break even,' Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said yesterday after a one-hour tour of the 25,000 sq metre facility.

He said that based on the growth projections of Tiger Airways, the terminal - the first in the region to cater exclusively to low-cost carriers - could turn in a profit after a few years.

Tiger Airways, which is 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines, is the only airline that has committed to use the terminal, now called the Budget Terminal. Tiger, although not expecting to turn in a profit until 2008, has been enjoying strong growth on its 11 regional routes.

Mr Yeo said the Budget Terminal will initially be subsidised by the profitable Terminals 1 and 2. 'But our philosophy is that every terminal should be viable on its own, and it's our job to make sure we keep the costs down so that they are viable. As long as we start breaking even after a few years, we should be quite happy.'

The Budget Terminal will charge substantially lower user fees than the larger terminals at Changi.

Airlines will save $165 per three-hour block due to the absence of aerobridges, and the $7 passenger service charge is half that at Terminals 1 and 2.

Retail outlets and offices at the Budget Terminal will enjoy a 50 per cent discount on rent.

The single-storey complex has a departure and an arrival hall, which together are about the size of three football fields. There are 18 departure/check-in counters, seven departure gates, 10 aircraft parking bays, 24 departure/arrival immigration counters, three arrival baggage claims and parking for 300 cars.

Besides 13 retail outlets including restaurants and duty-free shops, it will also have TVs, Internet terminals and automated teller machines. But it will have no escalators, travellators or any of the more expensive installations of the bigger terminals next door.

Passengers from Terminals 1 and 2 - and eventually Terminal 3 - can travel to the Budget Terminal via shuttle bus. Arriving and departing passengers walk about 20 metres between the terminal and planes.

The terminal, which obtained its Temporary Occupation Permit just two weeks ago, will handle its first flight on March 26 when Tiger Airways starts operations from it.

Singapore's other two budget carriers - Qantas-controlled Jetstar Asia and Valuair - have decided not to move to the Budget Terminal.

'Our intention is to stay at Terminal 1,' said Paul Daff, head of commercial affairs at JetsStar Asia. Some industry insiders reckon this is to facilitate possible inter-line transfers with Qantas and other partners.

Thai AirAsia, which operates daily flights to Bangkok from Changi, has also shown no interest in moving to the new low-cost terminal.

But a spokeswoman for the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said the airport operator is in talks with 'several airlines'. These could include smaller regional carriers like Adam Air and Lion Air of Indonesia, and other cost-conscious discount carriers from around the region.

The Budget Terminal can handle 2.7 million passengers a year, which could be expanded to five million.

About 10 per cent of passenger flights operating out of Changi Airport are budget carriers. CAAS expects this number to grow steadily as budget travel becomes more prevalent.

Singapore's Budget Terminal opens just months before Malaysia's RM100 million (S$43.6 million) budget terminal at Sepang opens its doors with Air Asia as its main user.

The Malaysian government expects about 10 million travellers to use the terminal.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time to change the title to ''Changi Airport Budget Terminal (Completed On 28 December 2005)'' & move it to the Completed Projects SECTION.

Congrats!!! $2000 and a phone for "Budget Terminal". This makes the government the biggest sucker I've met in 2006 so far. Congrats!!!

Meanwhile, the operator of the new terminal, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, has also finally settled on an official name for the new facility. It was picked after a two-month contest won by teenager Jonathan Sng, 15, who received a $2,000 cash prize and a mobile phone.

The winning name, chosen from among more than 12,000 entries: Budget Terminal.

What the #^@$?!? That's just rediculous! What was the point in having a competition in the first place!?!

What's the point? I'll hazard a guess to say that this is your very typical bureaucrats trying extremely hard to look stupid.

Save the $2000 and get more chairs!!! :soapbox:

Ridiculous!

What's the point? I'll hazard a guess to say that this is your very typical bureaucrats trying extremely hard to look stupid.
Why try so hard when they are quite capable of looking stupid without any effort anyway? lol

Why try so hard when they are quite capable of looking stupid without any effort anyway? lol

Trust me, they didn't think they would look stupid enough without throwing in another $2000 to make it all look more convincing. Stay tuned and you will find out that looking stupid is a big business here.

Haha, will do (I can't wait for this)!!

Thai AirAsia to consider switch to new terminal

20 Jan 06

Budget airline exploring option to fly out of Budget Terminal after offer from CAAS

By Goh Chin Lian

BUDGET carrier Thai AirAsia could well be the second airline after Tiger Airways to operate out of Singapore's new Budget Terminal.

The Thai carrier received a proposal from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) 'a few days ago' to use the terminal, said Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld.

He told The Straits Times on the sidelines of an aviation conference yesterday that he had yet to read the proposal or visit the terminal, which opens on March 26.

'We will explore it as an option,' he said, 'but it will all come down to cost and the efficiency of our aircraft coming in and going out of the airport.'

First on his mind, he said, was to compare the cost of ground handling, landing and parking at the new terminal to what the airline currently pays to use Terminal 1 at Changi Airport.

The Budget Terminal has no aerobridges, saving airlines the $165 per three-hour block that Changi charges for the devices.

Its $7 passenger service charge is lower than the $15 at Terminal 1. And rent for offices and retail outlets is half the rate charged at the other two terminals.

Wednesday's announcement that ground handler Swissport International had clinched a deal to serve Tiger Airways at the Budget Terminal could influence Thai AirAsia to switch to the cheaper option.

Swissport also serves Thai AirAsia at Terminal 1.

Swissport Singapore president and chief executive Peter Kohl told The Straits Times that his company would offer Thai AirAsia a 'real low-cost product' if it switched to the Budget Terminal.

It would do this, he said, by using equipment suited to and crew trained in the quick, 30-minute turnaround expected by low-cost carriers instead of the 'hybrid operation' in Terminal 1 which uses the same equipment and crew for both full-service airlines and budget carriers.

Told about Swissport's presence in the Budget Terminal, Thai AirAsia's Mr Tassapon said: 'Good. They can serve me too if we move there.'

The CAAS said it was in talks with 'some airlines' about operating from the new terminal.

Indonesia's Adam Air, which calls itself a 'boutique' airline, is staying put in Terminal 1 as its president director, Mr Adam Adhitya Suherman, believes its passengers will pay more for the comfort of using an aerobridge.

Landing fees, he said, would be the same at both terminals because all aircraft use the same two runways at Changi.

Singapore's other low-cost airlines - the merged Jetstar Asia and Valuair - are also sticking to the full-service terminal.

A spokesman said they had not received any new proposals in recent days and are adopting a 'wait and see' attitude.

Operating out of Terminal 1 makes it easy for their passengers to connect to flights from other airlines, he said. If the carriers move to the Budget Terminal, passengers may end up lugging their bags to the main terminals to catch their next flight.

Jan 29, 2006
KL low-cost terminal will be first to open

PETALING JAYA - MALAYSIA'S low-cost airline terminal (LCAT) will open for business in the first week of March, about three weeks ahead of Singapore's Budget Terminal at Changi Airport.

The LCAT, which is located at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, will thus be South-east Asia's first dedicated no-frills airline terminal.

'We are working on a tentative date of March 6 for the LCAT to be fully operational,' said Malaysia Airports (Sepang) general manager Azmi Murad.

Budget carrier AirAsia is expected to move its base to the new terminal on the same day.

Its Thai and Indonesia units, Thai AirAsia and AirAsia Indonesia, will also operate out of the LCAT.

'We are opening the LCAT not to race ahead of Changi but because we are ready to do so,' Mr Azmi said when asked why the low-cost facility was being opened before Singapore's.

'We are proud to have a dedicated LCAT to purely handle low-cost airlines. The airport is built to meet the requirements of a low-cost operation, whereby carriers will be able to turn around their aircraft within 25 minutes.

'This facility will be one of the biggest in terms of dedicated low-cost carriers in the world and will meet the demands and expansion of AirAsia.'

'We will fully support AirAsia's low-cost operations at the new terminal.'

Work on the LCAT began in June last year and was expected to cost RM108 million (S$140 million).

The LCAT will occupy a 34,000 sq m area. The terminal is said to be capable of handling 4,000 passengers an hour.

Singapore's $45m Budget Terminal is expected to open on March 26.

The terminal, a five-minute bus ride away from the main Changi Airport, occupies 25,000 sq m of space and will have shops, a restaurant and four food kiosks.

But in keeping with its low-cost, no-frills design, the new facility will not have aerobridges.

Passengers connecting to and from the main terminals will be served by a free bus service.

Budget Terminal can handle 2.7 million passengers a year, with room for expansion if needed. \-- The Star/Asia News Network

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

13 February 2006

Budget carriers may prefer to wait and see on new terminal
By Derek Cher, Channel NewsAsia

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpIFmcSI.jpg

SINGAPORE : Minister of State for Transport Lim Hwee Hua says some low-cost carriers may be adopting a wait-and-see approach before deciding whether to use Singapore's new budget terminal.

She was responding to MPs' queries in Parliament on why Changi Budget Terminal has only one confirmed user, Tiger Airways.

The new Changi Budget Terminal was built to cater to the needs of emerging low-cost carriers in the region.

Said Ms Lim, "The business model of low-cost carriers is also still evolving. As such, some of these carriers may prefer to continue to use Changi's main terminals as it fits in better with their business model, despite the fact that they will have to incur higher operating costs. For example, some carriers currently have arrangements to transfer passengers to other airlines at the main terminals, unlike the typical low-cost carrier, which focuses on end-to-end traffic."

If Tiger Airways passengers give a thumbs-up to the new budget terminal, this may spur more interest from other budget airlines.

The Transport Ministry says the Budget Terminal can be expanded to cater for other airlines, should they decide to operate from it.

Users of the Budget Terminal can expect to save as much as 50 percent of the cost incurred at the main terminals.

Even though Tiger Airways has agreed to operate out of the Budget Terminal, the Transport Ministry says the agreement does not have a minimum tenure.

But given the cost considerations, it expects Tiger Airways will continue to operate out of the terminal for as long as it is commercially viable.

Should Tiger Airways decide to shift back to the main terminals, the ministry says most of the equipment can be redirected for use at the main terminals.

On whether the budget terminal was built ahead of its time, the ministry says the project was a strategic business decision that the government has to take, in order to stay ahead of competition in the region. - CNA /ct

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

Taken by me on 14/2/06.

http://i2.tinypic.com/ouz893.jpg

eewww....my first impression

I'm sure the impression will improve once u see the interior.....:yes:

Business Times - 04 Mar 2006

SATS, CIAS, Swissport bid for Air India Express' Changi contract

By VEN SREENIVASAN

ALL three ground services specialists at Changi Airport are bidding for Air India Express' ground services contract at Changi Airport.

Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS), Changi International Airport Services and Swissport said they had all submitted bids to handle the Indian budget carrier's ground handling and technical services at the airport. Incidentally, the Indian budget carrier's parent - national carrier Air India - uses SATS for ground services at Changi.

Air India Express, which has secured official permission to start its service at Changi on March 27, has invited tenders to indicate whether they would be able to start services at Changi on the same day, which is just a day after the Budget Terminal opens.

It also invited ground services tenders at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Though it invited tenders for both Changi's main and low cost carrier terminals, observers believe Air India Express will use the new Budget Terminal. But the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said it had not received any firm indication yet.

Currently, only Tiger Airways has committed itself to using the Budget Terminal. In a move which surprised many, the Singapore Airlines associate recently dropped SATS and chose Swissport as its ground services agent at the $45 million facility.

A spokesman for SATS, which is 85 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines and has 80 per cent of the market share for ground handling at Changi, said the company had submitted a competitive bid for the Air India Express job.

Meanwhile, CIAS chief executive Georgie Ong said his company had also submitted its 'sealed envelope' bid before the close of the exercise yesterday afternoon. 'We submitted two quotes, one for the main terminal and the other for the Budget Terminal,' he said.

But it was Swissport's chief executive here, Peter Kohl, who sounded most confident, having already established a foothold at the Budget Terminal.

'We have recruited the necessary people and have been moving in the equipment to handle Tiger's flights,' he said. 'We have also flown in a team from our UK operations who handle the 200 or more Ryannai and easyJet flights a day. Our preparations are in full swing.'

Swissport, which set up operations as Changi's third ground services player last year, has a presence at 180 airports in 39 countries worldwide. It is an expert in low-cost airline ground services at 25 airports in Europe. At Changi, it now has three customers: Swiss International, Adam Air and Tiger. Its $15 million cargo warehouse at Changi Cargo Complex will officially open on March 15.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

I'm sure the impression will improve once u see the interior.....:yes:

yah I think I saw some earlier shots of the interior that look more cheerful...guess thats the same impression with T1 and T2 from the outside :yes:

Anyone interested?? :D

06 March 2006

New Budget Terminal open to public for 5-day sneak preview
By Ng Bao Ying, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : The public can take a sneak preview of the new Budget Terminal as it goes through some final preparations before launching.

From March 15-19, visitors can take a free guided tour of the single-storey building near Changi Airport.

They will be able to walk through the departure and arrival processes, which are different from those at Changi Airport's Terminal 1 and 2.

For example, boarding will be from the tarmac, rather than aerobridges.

To do so, one can register through Changi Airport's website or by calling their hotline at 6297 9356 during office hours from Mar 7-13.

The terminal will be officially opened on Sunday, March 26. - CNA /ls

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

^ I've registered.....looking forward for the tour.....:D

too far. bring back some pictures! :D

too far. bring back some pictures! :D

Definitely.......rare chance......:D

A comparison between the 2 new budget terminal in SEA.....:)

From Lianhe Zaobao 13/3/06

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/9520/dsc0225215iz.jpg

Looks like a big warehouse. :bash:

Budget terminal preview (15/3/06)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=327459

15 March 2006

3,000 visitors turn up at new Budget Terminal for preview tour
By Ng Bao Ying, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Changi Airport was busier that usual on Wednesday as some 3,000 people made their way for a tour of the new Budget Terminal.

The terminal was opened for public viewing which will be on till this weekend.

Apart from the 3,000 visitors, another 5,000 had registered for the public preview online and over the phone.

Visitors are received by volunteer guides from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

They are then taken through the entire travel process - from departure, to the runway and to arrival.

Along the way, they will see the terminal's 13 retail outlets and four eateries.

Due to its size, the terminal does not have many luxuries.

"The terminal is compact. It's for people who like no-frills travelling, where they get their basic needs met and board their plane," said Alice Tan, a volunteer guide.

But like Terminal 1 and 2, the Budget Terminal will provide free local calls and internet access.

It also boasts the lowest passenger charges in Asia at a mere $13.

But visitors are mixed in their views on the new terminal.

"The airport itself is small, simple but vibrant; the concept is totally different. It looks more like the Expo-style. I find it quite convenient," said visitor Zainal Othman.

"For older people, I don't think its convenient to walk up. It's quite dangerous. And there's no shelter. It'll be a problem during the raining season as we have walk out to get on the flight," said visitor Cheryl Ng.

The Budget Terminal, which is about the size of three football fields, will initially handle some 2.7 million passengers a year.

A shuttle bus will take transit passengers to the other terminals.

The $45 million terminal will start operations on March 26. - CNA /ls

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

25 March 2006

Budget terminals boost Asia's low-cost airline sector

SINGAPORE : Southeast Asia's low-cost airline sector is set to continue its phenomenal growth with this week's opening of the region's first dedicated budget terminals in Singapore and Malaysia, analysts said.

The combined 57 million US dollar investment for the facilities by the two neighbours is a boost for the region's budget airlines which have blossomed despite initial scepticism at the no-frills concept, they said.

"Low-cost terminals are a natural extension of the budget phenomenon we've seen in the past 18 to 24 months," said Shukor Yusof, an aviation analyst with Standard and Poors in Singapore.

Malaysia on Thursday opened Southeast Asia's first dedicated no-frills terminal built at a cost of 29.2 million dollars. It can handle 10 million passengers a year.

Next door in Singapore, a 27.8 million dollar facility starting operations on Sunday can handle 2.7 million passengers annually and is designed to serve five million after future expansion.

"Low-cost carriers are here to stay and will be a significant part of the regional aviation industry," Yusof said.

"The development of two dedicated terminals also illustrates low-cost carriers' growing presence in the airline sector, having transformed it via low fares and emerging route networks."

The two terminals each have only one committed user, AirAsia for the Malaysian facility and Tiger Airways in Singapore. This has not dented analysts' upbeat outlook for the regional budget airline sector.

"I don't think it is much of a concern," said John Koldowski, director of the strategic intelligence centre at the Bangkok-based Pacific Asia Travel Association.

"The low-cost carriers when they first came out, many said it was a fad... well, it has lasted and in fact it has consolidated.

"They certainly stimulated the sector and markets and consumers obviously like what they are receiving."

Growth in the low-cost sector partly explains why industry watchers expect the Asia-Pacific region to lead global growth in air passenger traffic over the next 20 years.

While Malaysia and Singapore are fierce economic rivals and both aim to be the hub for low-cost airlines, analysts said the two terminals will only spur growth in the sector.

"I don't think the proximity of the terminals has too much bearing, especially with low-cost flights between the two countries not currently allowed," said Richard Pinkham, a Singapore-based consultant with the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation in Sydney.

"As both carriers are principally point-to-point travel at this point, it seems not overly likely that the two low-cost terminals will be in competition with one another for passengers, especially with a five-six hour drive separating them," Pinkham said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who opened the terminal at Kuala Lumpur, welcomed rivalry.

"In any competition there would be some degree of rivalry, it's only to be expected," he told reporters when asked about Singapore's facility.

Before the birth of AirAsia in December 2001, budget carriers in Southeast Asia focused mainly on domestic routes but the roaring success enjoyed by the Malaysia-based carrier in servicing regional destinations was the catalyst for the setup of similar outfits, especially in Singapore.

Because they charge ultra-cheap fares, budget airlines do not provide meals or other services but travellers can pay if they want water or coffee.

Similarly, the new budget terminals do not offer all the elaborate facilities found in modern airports.

AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes was thrilled with the new home for his carrier which now offers more than 100 domestic and international flights to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

"It's a dream come true for us. A few years ago we were just a two-plane operation and now we have our own home," said Fernandes, whose business model has been increasingly imitated by national carriers and a host of new low-cost entrants.

He dismissed Singapore's no-frills terminal because of its smaller capacity.

"We are not here to compare with Singapore. We are happy with this place."

His closest rival, Tiger Airways, sees the budget terminal as a step forward for the sector.

"Having a budget terminal allows low-cost airlines such as Tiger Airways to offer low, low fares on a sustainable and consistent basis," said Tony Davis, chief executive of the carrier which is 49 percent owned by Singapore Airlines.

"By having a dedicated terminal, budget airlines would possess a significant cost advantage which gives a competitive edge over other airlines," he said.

Tiger Airways' ground costs will be cut by more than 50 percent by using the new facility at Changi Airport, he said. - AFP/ir

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.

March 26, 2006
One airline at Budget Terminal: Govt unfazed
More airlines will come once passengers give nod, says Cheow Tong

By Melissa Sim

THOUGH Changi Airport's new Budget Terminal opens today with only one airline in residence, the authorities are confident that more will come once passengers give the new facility the thumbs-up.

So far Tiger Airways, the Singapore Airlines-backed budget carrier, is the only airline to make the switch to the new terminal, which offers carriers cheaper fees by cutting back on certain services.

But the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is busy trying to attract other airlines and Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong believes there is no cause for concern.

'We are in no hurry, let's get the whole thing working properly and then we start talking to them again,' he told reporters at a ceremony yesterday marking the completion of the West Coast Highway extension and upgraded roads to Jalan Buroh.

On whether the new terminal will have a competitive advantage over the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) Terminal which opened on Thursday at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Mr Yeo said: 'We have a whole spectrum of services to cater to all travellers. Having a budget terminal to compliment T1, T2 - and later on T3 - will make sure that Changi Airport is again well positioned to maintain its position as a regional air hub.'

Mr Yeo also touched on the topic of security cameras in trains and buses, saying the Land Transport Authority (LTA) would look at the London model and adapt it for Singapore.

While this may take time, Mr Yeo said it was better to get it right first time.

'It's an expensive system; you don't want to do something in a hurry and find that it is the wrong system. It must be in place and must be applicable for the next 10 or 20 years,' he added.

The minister would not be drawn on whether the public would have to pay a premium for the installation of the system. 'We don't know. Let's look at the system first before we decide.'

Earlier, Mr Yeo had officially opened the long-awaited and troubled West Coast Highway extension from Telok Blangah Street 31 to West Coast Highway.

It is open to traffic from 10am today.

The 5km flyover was slated for completion in 2003, but civil engineering firm L&M Prestressing ran into financial difficulties. A new contractor was appointed and the completion dated was pushed to 2006.

The flyover is part of a 20km stretch from Keppel Road to Jalan Buroh that has been upgraded since 1998 at a total cost of $385 million.

LTA had conducted studies of the area and decided that a raised highway was the only way to overcome the congestion problem.

Mr Yeo said the extension and new roads would not only shave 15 minutes off the 50-minute drive from Keppel Road to Jalan Buroh, but would also benefit residents.

'Congestion always ends up with more pollution so with less congestion, it means less pollution, so it benefits everybody.'

Mr Leslie Pakianathan, 47, an engineer who oversees a construction project in the area, said: 'I'm looking forward to a hassle-free ride to work.'

simlinoi@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 27 Mar 2006

Changi budget terminal receives its first flights

Tiger Airways CEO sees 50% savings on ground operations costs

By VEN SREENIVASAN

IT WAS all systems go at Changi's Budget Terminal as Tiger Airways flight TR309 from Hanoi touched down at the new facility at a quarter past midnight yesterday.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2006-03-27/BT_3773523_27_03_2006.jpg

The $45 million facility subsequently served 15 more Tiger flights on its first day of operations with all passengers being greeted with goodie bags, a string quartet and lion dances.

'This is an excellent facility which is practical and functional,' said Tiger chief executive Tony Davis, who was on hand to greet passengers.

'It is a big step forward for us and gives us more cost efficiency and competitiveness. We reckon we will enjoy a saving of around 50 per cent on our overall ground operations costs.'

Bloomberg also quoted Mr Davis as saying that two million passengers will use the terminal in the next 12 months, based on Tiger's scheduled flights. He said that Tiger would expand to as many as 18 departures a day from the terminal.

Tiger is currently the only user of Changi's newest terminal. It operates almost 70 flights to 13 destinations, which will increase further next month when it starts services to the three southern Chinese cities of Guangzhou, Haikou and Shenzhen.

The budget carrier will take delivery of its fifth Airbus 320 next month, and will get three more by year-end.

Foo Sek Min, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore director of management, said that his team had put the facility through three months of rigorous operational testing to ensure that everything would go smoothly yesterday.

'We ran a detailed three-month intensive programme to prepare the infrastructure, systems and human resources capabilities,' he said. 'This is a sort of warm up for the opening of Terminal 3.'

He said that the Budget Terminal was open to all airlines which found it compatible with their operating requirements, and was not restricted only to low-cost carriers.

'We are currently in talks with several airlines,' he added.

These are believed to be Thai AirAsia, which flies daily to Bangkok, and Air India which is expected to start services between Chennai and Singapore next month.

Jetstar Asia and Indonesia's Adam Air have already said that they would remain at Terminal 1.

While airlines using the terminal will incur lower ground services charges, passenger services charges, at $13, is also lower than the $21 charged at Terminals 1 and 2.

Swissport, which took over Tiger Airways' ground and passenger handling operations from Singapore Airport Terminal Services, flew in four executives from the UK - led by Nigel Daniel, executive vice-president for Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa - to ensure that everything went smoothly at the Budget Terminal yesterday.

The company's chief executive here, Peter Kohl, said that Swissport had recruited at least 70 people and invested some $3 million into its Budget Terminal operations.

Although tagged a budget terminal, the facilities within the complex looked anything but cheap. Passengers seemed impressed with the ambience and the variety offered by 13 retail and food & beverage outlets at the terminal.

John Chan, executive director of Macau Airport, who was among the passengers boarding a Tiger Airways flight yesterday to the Chinese territory, remarked that the terminal would meet the expectations of the Singapore traveller who was used to some frills and conveniences.

'It is very functional and has enough frills to please,' he said. 'It is quite a contrast to the European budget terminals I have been to, which are more glorified shacks than anything else. The facilities here are very saleable. I'm quite impressed.'

Passengers who need to transfer to or from Terminal 2 take a seven-minute coach ride. In contrast, passengers transferring between Kuala Lumpur International Airport's main terminal and its new Low Cost Carrier Terminal - which opened last week - must face a 20-km commute.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Budget terminal from the plane
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/7315/dsc0034bud4gd.jpg

Great shot!

Great shot!

Thanks......:D

Its a rare-angle...I see its brightly painted too...I must admit that Changi terminal's exteriors dont look great...hope T3 will be more pleasant

Its a rare-angle...I see its brightly painted too...I must admit that Changi terminal's exteriors dont look great...hope T3 will be more pleasant

Actually I saw T3 terminal at night when I arrive the airport at night.....but i can imagine that it'll look like a crystal box when it's lited at night.....:yes:

Look like an airbase... =P

What's that big blocky building beside it?

What's that big blocky building beside it?

SAT flight kitchen.....:yes:

Business Times - 19 Jul 2006

Cebu Pacific to fly into S'pore budget terminal

SINGAPORE - Manila's Cebu Pacific Air will resume flights to Singapore in August and become the second carrier to use the city-state's new Budget Terminal, aviation authorities said on Wednesday. It will offer a daily service between Singapore and Manila.

'Cebu Pacific's decision to operate from the simple and functional budget terminal will suit the airline's business model better as it will benefit from cost savings resulting from the terminal's low cost operating environment,' said director-general of civil aviation from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) Wong Woon Liong.

http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/media/image/launched/2006-07-19/cebupacific.jpg

Cebu Pacific will be up against two low-cost carriers serving the Singapore-Manila route - Singapore-based Jetstar and Tiger Airways, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. The carrier, the country's second largest after Philippine Airlines with a domestic market share of more than 40 per cent, also said it will offer promotional fares to Singapore to mark its re-entry starting Aug 31.

The airline, which now has 17 domestic routes and flies to international destinations such as Hong Kong and Seoul, said in a statement it would resume the service after steady growth in traffic between Singapore and Manila since 2003. Nearly 320,000 Filipinos visited Singapore last year, a 30 per cent rise from 2004, it said.

The Philippine carrier, controlled by the family of tycoon John Gokongwei, suspended the loss-making route to Singapore in 2003 barely three months after its launch as demand for travel was slashed due to the Sars outbreak. -- REUTERS, AFP

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Some night pictures of the budget terminal

1.
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/3912/dscf0686wh8.jpg

2.
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3452/dscf0688rn2.jpg

Beautiful skies outside the budget terminal

1.
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/291/dscf0687pb0.jpg

2.
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/3252/dscf0689yy6.jpg

The terminal is very efficient.....I only took 10 mins to walk from the tarmac to the terminal, clear custom and get to the taxi....:eek: Using the biometric device speed up the process.....I just need to scan my passport and fingerprint to get through the custom.....but this is for Singapore citizen only.....:yes:

wow...the terminal looks so tropically romantic at twilight...makes a good entrance feeling into Singapore :cool:

wow...the terminal looks so tropically romantic at twilight...makes a good entrance feeling into Singapore :cool:

Yeah I love the blue evening skies.....:D