Singapore’s Changi Airport opened a cutting-edge terminal Tuesday with a fully automated check-in system including facial scanning and computerised baggage drop points, but some passengers struggled with the new technology.
Terminal 4, built at a cost of US$723 million, will have an annual capacity of 16 million people and is aimed at coping with an expected increase in passenger numbers through one of Asia’s top travel hubs.
It is packed with new technology, meaning passengers should in theory be able to check in and board without having to talk to airport staff.
On its first day of operations, more than 100 passengers arrived in the morning to take the inaugural service out, a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong.
But not everyone managed to get to grips with the self check-in machines, forcing travellers to use counters manned by airport staff instead.
“I think it’ll take a while for people and systems to get used to it,” Loh K Ling, who tried to use two self-service machines before giving up and going to a manned counter, told AFP.
At the boarding gate, several travellers also had trouble getting used to the facial scanning technology and were redirected to manned counters.
Changi, often voted the world’s best airport, is among hubs worldwide rolling out new technology as the fight intensifies for long-haul travellers.
Along with hubs such as Hong Kong and Dubai, Singapore is scrambling to attract the growing army of travellers — on trips such as Australia to Europe — who can choose the routing of their journeys.
A growing number of mainland Chinese are also visiting Southeast Asia, and there is competition between Singapore and other local hubs, such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, to attract the new passengers.
I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to
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understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia.
I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine.
I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan"
I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy
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