Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew has said Changi Airport's Terminal 4 (T4) will be used as a test-bed for new concepts that can be deployed in the future Terminal 5.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of T4 on Tuesday, Mr Lui said concepts such as innovative terminal design and the use of technology will raise productivity levels and economise the use of space.
As part of enhancements to both productivity and the passenger experience, travellers will see the introduction of more self-service options at T4.
These include self-service check-in, automated immigration clearance and automated boarding at the departure gates.
Mr Lui said: "We should envisage a large number of passengers being able to get easily and efficiently from check-in to the airplane, without having to queue for service or checks by service personnel, but always having someone readily at hand to assist if necessary."
Various government agencies, Changi Airport Group (CAG) and other airport stakeholders have been working in close partnership on this new paradigm of self-service and automation.
The Changi Airport Group is confident that over time, passengers will get used to these new processes.
Poh Li San, vice president of airport operations at Changi Airport Group, said: "In the next few years, we will be running trials in our existing terminals -- gradually starting self-service options as well, but in T4 we will be rolling them out in a big way.
"So we will be expecting roughly 30 to 50 per cent, at least for the beginning for passengers to use self-service options (in Terminal 4).
"Then over time when passengers get more used to it and the technology become more prevalent, we can have a greater growth (or) take-up rate, perhaps even 70 to 80 per cent in the longer run."
Mr Lui also outlined several other challenges facing T4.
He said T4 must be integrated with the rest of Changi Airport, and passengers must find it a seamless experience to get to and from the other terminals.
CAG had considered the option of using a skytrain.
"However, because of the distance and also in between there are some existing infrastructure and services, it will become quite an engineering challenge, as well as the high cost to either dig underground or alleviate above ground," Ms Poh said.
"We have weighed the options between a skytrain and shuttle bus and we concluded that the shuttle bus is a much better, effective means of transport to connect Terminal 4 and other terminals."
In addition, T4 has to overcome the constraints of space.
Mr Lui noted the physical land space is limited and locked in by existing roadway and apron boundaries.
So to maximise the limited land parcel, the layout of functional spaces in the terminal has been carefully planned in order to minimise dead spaces. The outcome is a double-storey, compact terminal design.
Mr Lui also said it is important to continue expanding Changi Airport's infrastructure and facilities ahead of time.
He said: "Airports require sufficient capacity to attract new airlines, add new city-links and increase frequencies.
"Without this, airlines would turn to other airports that can better facilitate their growth, and Changi would risk losing connectivity, and consequently, its mantle of being Asia's premier hub."
When completed in 2017, Terminal 4 will primarily serve airlines operating narrow-body aircraft and which require a quick turnaround of their flights.
Terminal 4, together with Project Jewel, the additional third runway and the mega Terminal 5, will strengthen Changi Airport's position as a leading air hub in Asia.
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