Changi's T4 handles 1,000 passengers on first day of reopening since the pandemic

A small fanfare of orchid bouquets, souvenirs and live music performances greeted the first passengers arriving at Changi Airport Terminal 4 on Tuesday as it reopened after more than two years. They were on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong and are among about 1,000 passengers on five flights - two departing and three arriving - scheduled to use T4 on its first day of operations since it was shut in May 2020 after air traffic plummeted at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Cathay Pacific and Korean Air are the first among 16 airlines to start operations at T4, with more to follow in the coming weeks. Max Shih, 29, a passenger on the Cathay Pacific flight, said the arrival process was fast here, compared with the Hong Kong airport. Reports said temperature screening arrangements remain in place for those arriving at the Hong Kong airport, with the city still requiring travellers to take tests for the virus and undergo quarantine in hotels upon arrival. While some shops remain closed, more than 30 retail stores and restaurants, including duty-free shopping, Charles & Keith and TWG Tea, were open. More shopping and dining options will be available progressively in the following months. To ensure the smooth restart of operations in T4, Changi Airport Group (CAG) has been conducting operational readiness trials with the airlines and airport partners, which involved 3,000 people, since May. These include rigorous testing of key systems such as baggage handling and automated check-in kiosks, as well as processes such as security screening, said Ang Siew Min, CAG's senior vice-president for airport operations management.<br/>