Changi Airport Terminal 5 To Start Construction In 2025, Expected To Be Ready In Mid-2030s

Changi Airport Terminal 5 To Begin Construction In 2025 After 2-Year Delay

After a two-year delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, construction work for Changi Airport Terminal 5 (T5) is expected to commence in 2025.

Announcing the update on Friday (3 Mar), Transport Minister S Iswaran said the terminal is expected to be operational in the mid-2030s.

Source: Changi Airport Group

Mr Iswaran also said that land preparation and draining works at Changi East have also finished.

Changi Airport Terminal 5 slated to be operationally ready in the mid-2030s

Speaking at his ministry’s Committee of Supply Debate on Friday (3 Mar), Mr Iswaran said construction for T5 is slated to commence in 2025.

In the same vein, the terminal is expected to be operationally ready in the mid-2030s.

The project was reportedly halted for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Mr Iswaran, land preparation and drainage works at Changi East — where T5 will be located — are now complete.

The third runway will also be ready closer to 2030.

Source: Changi Airport Group

Additionally, the Transport Minister said the government will be injecting another S$2 billion into the Changi Airport Development fund.

He noted that it’s important to set aside resources whenever possible for projects with “large and lumpy expenditure”.

As the number of flights and passengers at Changi Airport continues to grow, Changi Airport Group and other stakeholders will implement “operational plans” to manage the growth leading up to the launch of T5.

Mr Iswaran’s announcement is in line with Mr Lee’s update last August during National Day Rally 2022.

During his speech, Mr Lee announced that T5 is expected to be operational by the mid-2030s.

In addition to being greener and more energy efficient, T5 will also be built with the flexibility to operate as a smaller sub-terminal when necessary.

Changi Airport passenger levels to hit pre-pandemic level by 2024 or earlier

During his speech, Mr Iswaran also shared that passenger traffic volumes, flights, and city links have currently reached about 80% of pre-pandemic levels.

At this rate, it’s expected that Changi Airport’s passenger levels will return to pre-pandemic ones by 2024 at the latest.

Mr Iswaran also identified challenges that might hamper Singapore’s recovery as an aviation hub.

For starters, stakeholders in the aviation industry must continue to “ramp up their workforce” to keep up with the recovery.

At the same time, Singapore must remain alert to new threats from Covid-19, as well as “other similar threats”.

Lastly, stakeholders must also contend that the recovery of air travel comes with a backdrop of uncertainties in the worldwide economy, as well as surging energy and manpower costs.

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Featured image adapted from Changi Airport Group.