Changi Airport Terminal 4 Open House

We managed to snatch up some tickets to go to the T4 open house, so one fine day, we decided to take a look and see what the new terminal has to offer.

Going to the T4 open house

Prior to going to the open house, we were not able to get prior information on where to catch the shuttle. Since this is Singapore, they were kind enough to put up signs from MRT to the extraction point. So from MRT, we alighted and went to the exit near terminal 3 from Changi Airport MRT station. We followed the signs to lead us to take the free shuttle bus to the T4 Open House. (The Shuttle is at T3 Coach parking lot, and the queue leading to it is at Mcdonald's Arrival Hall T3 -- which is in the other end of the spectrum of T3 if you're coming from the MRT)

The bus ride takes about 6 minutes long. 

Arriving at T4 

As with any terminal, you have to check-in. The staff will guide you to the check-in point. During the open house, we were pointed to direction of the ground staff. They will issue a boarding pass, give out some coupons/voucher and free baggage tag (One of the few freebies you will get along the way). You are to suppose to wait it out and hang around the departure hall before going through immigration and the gates.  

Pre-Check In Tip: 

Tip 1: Be sure to download T4 Open House app while you're at it. The experience zones are fun to do. ( Keep your minds off things and get to know a few trivia esp at Heritage Zone part ). Answer, the check-out survey, who knows, you might receive a mystery gift* too. Do note that experience zones unlock as you walk through T4. You are to open your Bluetooth and Location features of the phone to use the app. 

Tip 2: You can go in early at T4 departure hall and explore outside the hall, but basically, you can't enter yet till your 'boarding' time. We arrived just in time, so we did not have anytime to explore the departure hall. 

Entering T4 
Experience Zone 1: Check-in

Before we get to go to boarding gates at T4, there was a demo of how an automated bag drop works. They scan the passport, put the tags, scan the barcode off the luggage, and scan your face. Yes, they made it sure that you're the one who is travelling, and you're the one who is dropping off the bag. Our next pitstop, is Immigration and Security Check. Since there are no bag check at the gates, they consolidated it into one big security check ( like the ones that they had last time at the budget terminal).  They have body scans ( this reminded me of the body scan in Tokyo) as well. 

The automated gates . Au revoir, Singapore!

Security checkpoint

Experience Zone 2:  Duty free 

Since most of it are still closed, you will just briefly pass by the area. Make sure to just play the game. 

Experience Zone 3: Featured Airlines( Korean Air, Cebu Pacific, Cathay Pacific, Air Asia and Spring Airlines) 

After passing the duty free,  it's a freehold time to go to your desired airline booth. There was a queue lining up to experience business class seats at Cathay Pacific booth and Korean Air. After all, Korean Air brought 2 teddies from teddy bear museum. They were don in Korean Air stewardess and pilot costume.  Cebu Pacific had an unmanned photo-op booth and Spring Airlines was just there.

Air Asia balloon sculpture

Korean Air's teddy bears

One of the comfy sofa in T4

An art installation

Experience Zone 4: The Heritage Zone 

At this zone, you will get to see the old shophouses dated from 1880s to 1950s (Baroque style, Rococo Style,  Peranakan Style and Modern Deco Style) and a performance of  "Peranakan Love Story" (around 3minutes long).  Old Chang Kee, Bee Eng Chiang would soon setup shop but not for now. After the heritage zone are the boarding gates.

Embarking and disembarking points are in the same place. We had to walk a stretch from gates to the arrival hall ( a floor below).   

Experience Zone 5: Arrival Hall 

Welcome back!

Kinetic petals can be seen clearly as you approach immigration.

The immigration counter

Baggage carousel

Customs before you exit

Looks very much like Edgar Allan Poe's the Raven

while waiting for your loved ones to disembark, you can sit comfortably outside the gate. 

                                  

Freebies 

Zone 1: Check-in 
After receiving the boarding pass, the ground staff handed us a Samsonite voucher and luggage tag.

Zone 2 : After Duty Free and before Featured Airline 

At the information center, after passing through the row of duty free shops, you will get a bottle of water( after that long walk, we do need to refresh). 

Zone 3: Featured Airlines

If you are game to have your picture taken with the bears from Teddy Bear Museum, go right to Korean Air booth. 

If you are just okay with having your picture taken with the booth, go to Cebu Pacific. 

Air Asia just gives out free bookmarks. 

Zone 4: Check-out

If you sign up for Changi Rewards, you will get a welcome gift ( which includes a free popcorn). If you're a previous member, they will give you a voucher to get discounts: 

$5 off if you spend S$30 above and S$10 off if you spend S$80. 

If you finish the check-out survey, you either get a mystery gift ( to be claimed after you exit the arrival hall, it should be near where the shuttle bus to T3 is) or vouchers. 

How to get the free tickets to the Open House 

Well, you need to register and set a date of your visit. The Open House runs until 20 August 2017. But as of this writing, registration is full and closed.

Overall impression

The place is neat but small.Technically, it's just an upgraded version of the old budget terminal. Most important feature in T4 are streamlining efforts to do check-in and security checks. Hopefully, with streamline efforts, they will have lesser bottlenecks, and we will have more time to enjoy the duty free shops and other facilities in T4. 

On one side, the seats in T4 are quite comfy, I have not seen any reclining chairs though , there are an ample coaches scattered in the terminal. Let's just hope the terminal can accommodate the influx of passengers.

P.S. The waterfall and skytrain is still not operational. It would have been nice to go around on a sky train and see the man made waterfall.