SINGAPORE: Jetstar Group on Friday (Jul 22) said it has “no intention of moving” to Changi Airport’s Terminal 4, a decision the airline said was made unilaterally by Changi Airport Group (CAG).
Jetstar Asia mainly operates out of Terminal 1 at Changi Airport, with limited arrivals at Terminal 2.
In a statement issued slightly over an hour after CAG officially announced Terminal 4’s Sep 13 opening date and the relocation of 16 airlines to the terminal, Jetstar said: “We are extremely disappointed that the Changi Airport Group (CAG) has chosen to unilaterally announce a plan to relocate the Jetstar Group to Terminal 4 at Changi International Airport, before any agreement has been reached.”
CAG had said that Jetstar Group will move to Terminal 4 on Oct 25, joining airlines such as AirAsia Group, Cathay Pacific and Korean Air.
“A joint study was only agreed to be undertaken last week and this announcement completely disregards that agreement and the impact a move would have on our customers, our people, and our operations,” said Jetstar.
“While we remain committed to working with CAG, today’s announcement by the airport ignores our concerns and goes against the spirit of the long-standing partnership we have built over the years.
“Until an agreement is reached, we have no intention of moving and have informed CAG of that fact.”
The terminal was opened in 2017 with a capacity of 16 million passengers per year. It suspended operations in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reopening Terminal 4 will add to Changi Airport’s capacity, “ensuring that the air hub can meet the increasing demand for air travel and support airlines’ plans to launch more flights”, CAG said on Friday.
Sixteen airlines will relocate to Terminal 4 in September and October, starting with Cathay Pacific and Korean Air on reopening day, CAG said. AirAsia Group will follow suit on Sep 15, while Cebu Pacific, Juneyao Air, Jeju Air, Bamboo Airways and HK Express will do so on Sep 20.
Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air and Thai VietJet Air will move two days later, followed by Jetstar Asia Airways and Jetstar Airways on Oct 25.
CNA has contacted CAG for more information.