CHANGI : AIR TRANSPORT HUB OF ASEAN

Abstract

The past ten years have witnessed rapid growth rates in air transport to the extent that the air transport link is in danger of cracking under the strain of burgeoning traffic. Air traffic growth is expected to continue into the 1990s with consequent impression made upon airport design to provide for greater number of bigger and more powerful aircraft and the concomitant increase in flightloads. The changing environment of the air transport industry in the form of increasing deregulation, the use of global computer reservations, emergence of mega carriers and new aircraft technology will result in increased competition in the industry. In this context, airports will have to provide good services at low cost in order to be attractive in the increased competition between air transport hubs within the region for business or tourist travellers and cargo traffic. Bangkok remains the strongest competitor. Its recent refurbishment is aimed at usurping the premier position of Singapore as the air transport hub of ASEAN. In the light of this intense competition, Changi Airport's capacity will have to be increased by adding new air- and land-side facilities, when possible, but mainly by introducing new technologies and procedures to obtain the best use from existing facilities and by making advanced and flexible planning for both air- and land-sides. To date, the key to Singapore's success lay in the foresight, discipline and entrepreneurship of both the management of Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the Singapore government to build an international carrier of the highest standard backed by an aviation infrastructure that would make Singapore an attractive hub and gateway for competing carriers.