Lim Ching Kiat - Managing Director, Air Hub Development : “Changi Airport is committed to explore new opportunities with Air Mauritius”

The Changi Airport Group does not spare any effort to ensure that the Air Corridor between Singapore and Mauritus is a success. In an interview to Le Défi Media Group, Lim Ching Kiat, Managing Director, Air Hub Development, says that CAG is committed to continue developing the Air Corridor.

Up to now, is the Changi Airport Group satisfied with its partnership with Air Mauritius? How far does Air Mauritius meet the service quality indicators of your Group?
Since the signing of the Memorandum of Joint Cooperation between Air Mauritius and Changi Airport in October 2015, followed by the launch of direct services in March 2016, we have enjoyed a successful year. Passenger traffic on this route continues to grow as we enter the second year.

How is Changi Airport promoting Mauritius, Air Mauritius and Air Corridor, especially in Asia?
Changi Airport Group (CAG) collaborates very closely with Air Mauritius and the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) to drive traffic between Asia and Mauritius. Over the past year, CAG has jointly promoted the Air Corridor with both parties, conducting road shows in at least 12 cities, of which nine were in Asia. CAG will continue to support Air Mauritius this year in reaching out to other markets within Asia, such as to the secondary cities of China. This would be in conjunction with other planned marketing activities by the airline. CAG is committed to continue developing the Air Corridor and explore new opportunities with Air Mauritius.

What are the outcomes?
Traffic between Africa and Asia has grown 19% for the 12-month period ending May 2017, while visitor arrivals to Mauritius from Singapore have increased by about 60% for the same time period. This is likely to continue on an upward trend. Air Mauritius is well-positioned to grow Mauritius as a gateway to Africa to capture this market. The first year of operations of the Air Corridor has shown the potential of the market, and is also a testament that marketing efforts have paid off. Given these encouraging results and continued increase in demand, Air Mauritius has confirmed the commencement of a fourth weekly service from December 2017.

In terms of connectivity with Africa, what does Changi expect from Mauritius? Is there need for Air Mauritius to connect to more African destinations?
The Air Corridor was envisioned to be a link between Africa and Asia, to stimulate bi-directional flows to both regions. Mauritius is a gateway to Africa and Air Mauritius plays a critical role in providing this accessibility. As Air Mauritius continues to strengthen its network within Africa and grow connectivity with Singapore-bound flights, we are confident that they would be well-positioned to tap on the growing travel demand between Africa and Asia.

Changi Airport will open its brand new Terminal 4 in the coming weeks. How will its services differ from the three existing Terminals?
Terminal 4 (T4) presents a new travel experience with its boutique design and innovative use of technology. T4 will be the first terminal at Changi Airport to offer end-to-end Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) for departing passengers. With the extensive use of technology, including facial recognition software, FAST redefines the passenger’s travel experience, enhances operational efficiency and raises productivity. Passengers will enjoy the flexibility of checking in at their own convenience, without having to wait for counters to open. T4 is also a theatre of experience, featuring a grand-scale kinetic sculpture, contemporary art and immersive digital experience. Please refer to our T4 media releases for more information on T4.

Will it be used only by regional airlines?
Nine airlines will operate at T4 – the Air Asia Group (of four airlines), Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, Korean Air, Spring Airlines and Vietnam Airlines. Together, they serve an estimated eight million passengers at Changi Airport each year. These airlines collectively operate close to 800 flights a week to over 20 regional destinations.

Is this project part of Changi Airport’s mission to rethink travel? What does the Group mean by rethinking travel and how does it intend to fulfill this mission?
T4 was conceived with the vision to rethink travel, push boundaries and break new ground. Through T4’s design and innovative concepts of operation such as FAST, we sought to address our capacity needs as well as improve efficiency and manpower productivity. For the passenger, we wanted to delight them with ‘wow’ features and showcase our local culture and architectural history at the Heritage Zone. Changi Airport Group is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to create an unparalleled Changi Experience for our passengers. In our pursuit of excellence, and beyond just the functional aspects, we challenge ourselves to raise the bar for what an airport can be and to redefine the travel experience.