The FINANCIAL — More passengers departing from Singapore can now enjoy early check-in with a range of airlines at Changi Airport. Since the start of the year, common early check-in counters have been set up at Terminals 2 (Row 7) and 3 (Row 10), and an early check-in lounge at Terminal 1 (near Row 5), to facilitate early check-in.
The counters and the lounge – open from 6.00am to midnight daily – serve as a common one-stop service point for passengers travelling with 23 participating airlines. Check-in is available from 12 or 24 hours before the flight’s scheduled time of departure (STD), depending on the airline. The 23 airlines serve more than 3.7 million passengers a year, or 13 per cent of passengers departing from Changi Airport.
Besides the airlines served at the common counters, another 25 airlines separately offer an early check-in service at their own counters. Including these, early check-in of at least four hours before STD is presently available to more than 80% of departing passengers. Changi Airport Group (CAG) is working with airlines and ground handlers to increase this figure, according to Changi Airport.
The provision of early check-in options will benefit passengers, especially visitors to Singapore who may have to check-out of their hotel rooms hours before their flight. Earlier entry into the transit areas also means more time for passengers to enjoy Changi’s award-winning facilities. It allows for a more relaxing departure experience as there will be no need for passengers to rush.
Based on a CAG survey, more than 40 per cent of travellers are not aware of the availability of early check-in when flying. Hence, some don’t see the need to plan to arrive at the airport early. Unfortunately, perhaps due to traffic congestion on the way, passengers do end up arriving late. It is estimated that each year, for various reasons, more than 10,000 passengers fail to check in for their flights at Changi.
More efficient operations
In addition to the benefits to passengers, early check-in also helps to boost operational efficiency and productivity. Mr Albert Lim, Vice President for Passenger Experience at CAG said, “Early check-in smoothens the flow of passengers beyond the peak period, which starts at about two hours before STD. Reducing the peak load shortens queues and lessens the stress on the check-in team. Overall, there is a better travel experience for passengers. At the same time, it allows for more optimal utilisation of check-in resources, resulting in capacity and productivity gains.”
“Changi Airport is one of the first airports in the world to offer a common early check-in service across airlines. We want to give passengers the flexibility to design their own travel experiences by making early check-in easier and more readily available,’’ he added.
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