After becoming Asia’s coronavirus epicentre, Singapore is now forced to shut down its second airport terminal, Terminal 4, to cut losses.
Government-owned airport operator, Changi Airport Group, said the suspensions will be indefinite until air travel demands pick up:
“Changi Airport’s Terminal 4 will suspend operations from Saturday (May 16). The move would optimise “resources in tandem with the sharp decline in flight movements because of the global Covid-19 pandemic. There is currently a small number of flights operating from Terminal 4, and airlines based there will now move to Terminal 1 or Terminal 3. The timing of (the terminal’s resumption of services) will depend on when air travel demand picks up and on the requirements of airlines seeking to relaunch flights at Changi Airport.”
All retail shops and restaurants in the terminal will also be shut down, and shuttle bus services to the terminal will also be suspended.
In April, Terminal 2 was shut down, for at least 18 months according to Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
Globally air travel is unlikely to resume due to a standard 14 days quarantine requirement for all arrivals in every country. Singapore, an island heavily dependent on tourism and cheap foreign labour, is among the hardest hit as the island country has a very weak domestic economy supported only by the majority locals with low wages.