Welcome to Changi: Interview with Changi Airport

Joe | February 17, 2019 | The Consumer Journey | No Comments

ISSUE #68 – Mr Dennis Yim, Director, Corporate & Marketing Communications, Changi Airport Group shares how Changi approaches the airport experience and how it is a destination in its own right.

Rated the world’s best airport, do tell us, what makes the Changi Airport experience different? What is your vision and approach to the airport experience?

We are very honoured that Changi Airport continues to be recognised as one of the best airports in the world.

Here, passengers are at the heart of everything we do – we strive to provide a personalised, stress-free and positively surprising experience for all who pass through our doors.

To deliver the Changi Experience, we focus on efficient operations, offering innovative retail and dining options, excellent customer service with a warm Asian hospitality, and by anticipating the needs of passengers even before they tell us what they need.

As an international airport serving over 62-million passengers each year, Changi Airport has many facilities and services to delight our passengers, such as gardens, movie theatres, entertainment zone and even a swimming pool. Transit passengers on a long layover can also sign up for Free Singapore Tour for a free city tour.

Could you tell us about Jewel Changi Airport? What are some new innovations and new service features?

Jewel is a mixed-use complex with a wide range of lifestyle offerings, including play attractions of world-class standards, lush landscaping, over 280 shopping and dining outlets, a hotel and aviation facilities. Jewel will augment Changi Airport’s status as a leading international air hub, drawing international travellers to Changi Airport and Singapore.

Designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, Jewel has a distinct dome-shaped glass and steel facade, with a park and a marketplace situated side- by-side welcoming all to gather. Jewel’s unique design features the majestic Rain Vortex in the middle of the complex with the Forest Valley wrapped around it, surrounded by retail and F&B.

Catering to the needs of travellers, the early check-in facilities at Jewel will offer a convenient option for passengers who wish to arrive earlier at the airport, check-in for their flights, before exploring the complex.

There will also facilities for fly-cruise and fly-coach passengers with comfortable rest areas, travel services, baggage transfers and shuttle services to the cruise/ferry terminals. These services will provide greater convenience and a seamless connection for coach, cruise, and ferry transfers.

Changi Airport is blazing a trail, adopting new technologies, embracing automation. Do you see a challenge in striking a balance between automating and keeping a human touch?

Self-service doesn’t mean no service. With self-service technologies, we free up manpower that was previously doing mundane jobs. This allows us to deploy our staff to roles that can better serve passengers.

For example, in the new Terminal 4, we have introduced state-of-the-art, CT X-ray machines and automated tray return system. Security officers can now focus efforts on the passengers and detecting suspicious behaviours. We are using technology to simplify tasks for our employees so that they can focus on their core responsibilities and able to serve our passengers better.