SINGAPORE’s Changi International Airport is planning to boost its current 1,350-ha size by almost 75 per cent in the future. The expansion is aimed at catering to steadily increasing air passenger traffic and countering rival airport developments in the region.

Singapore’s Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Josephine Teo, who chairs the Changi 2036 Steering Committee established in March to map out Changi International Airport’s future development, unveiled the growth strategy earlier this week.

The 1,000-ha plot of land earmarked for the airport's enhancement is situated between runway two and runway three, and also includes a section of Changi Coast Road.

According to Teo, the committtee will finalise plans to open the third runway – currently reserved for military use – for civil aviation operations by the end of this year. Also under consideration are future terminals, including a potential Terminal 5 and Terminal 6, and when they will be rolled out.

Terminal 1, which recently completed a four-year US$390m revamp that boosted its floor space by 22,000m² to 308,000m², will undergo an additional round of upgrades starting next April (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 18, 2012). The arrival hall will be expanded to raise capacity from 21 million to 24 million passengers per annum, while dedicated facilities to support fly-cruise and fly-coach options will be added.

Once the Budget Terminal makes way for the new Terminal 4 – scheduled to open in 2017 (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 1, 2012), Changi International Airport will be able to handle 85 million passengers per annum, compared to the current 73 million.