Passengers departing from Changi Airport to pay S$6 more

SINGAPORE: Passengers departing from Changi Airport will have to pay more from April next year.

They will have to pay S$6 more for the Passenger Service Charge.

The new charge of S$19.90 will apply to all air tickets purchased from November this year for travel on or after 1 April next year.

Including the Aviation Levy of S$6.10 and the Passenger Security Service Charge of S$8.00, both of which remain unchanged, departing passengers will have to pay

S$34.

Charges for transfer and transit also remain unchanged.

Changi Airport Group says the revision will help fund new investments required to cater to growing passenger traffic.

It will also cover the airport’s operating costs, which have increased.

S$2 billion has already been set aside over the next five years for the airport’s enhancement and expansion programme.

Two big development projects include the development of the new Terminal 4 and the expansion of Terminal 1.

These will raise handling capacity at Changi Airport by about 30% from 66 million to 85 million passengers per annum.

There will also be significant investment in airside infrastructure over the next few years including new parking stands and taxiways throughout the airport.

Observers believe the revision in passenger departure tax will have minimal impact.

They say the increase is also fair, given the newer facilities and high level of service offered at the airport.

Standard and Poor’s aviation analyst Shukor Yusof said: "It’s cheaper than other places, like Japan and Europe.

"Considering the facilities that they are offering, six dollars is probably a fair amount, given that Terminal 1 has gone through refurbishment and other terminals also provide top—notch facilities and services."

CTC Travel senior vice president for marketing & PR, Alicia Seah, said: "I think for six dollars, it’s quite a marginal increase; people will take it as part and parcel of escalating costs, especially after an upgrade of airport facilities.

"It is a very small fraction of what the passengers pay when travelling."

— CNA/ir