Changi Airport to increase fees and levies for departing passengers on 1 Nov

The fees will go toward the airport's future development plans.

Starting 1 November, passengers departing from Changi Airport will have to pay higher Passenger Service and Security Fee (PSSF) and Aviation Levy (AL).

According to the airport, the fees and levies will go towards its “operation and current infrastructure upgrading of terminals and future development plans, and the air hub development and regulatory functions of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).”

The new PSSF beginning November will be $40.40, up from the current $35.40, whilst the AL will increase from $6.10 to $8.00, up by $1.90.

With the increases in PSSF and AL, the total fees and levies to be paid by OD passengers for tickets issued on or after 1 November will increase to $59.20. 

The airport, however, clarified that passengers whose air tickets have already been issued before 1 November 2022 will not pay the higher fees and levies.

“The AL will continue to apply for OD passengers departing from Changi Airport only; passengers arriving at Changi Airport, as well as transfer and transit passengers, do not need to pay the AL,” the airport added.

In 2018, the airport announced that it will increase the PSSF to $37.90 in 2021, and $40.40 in 2022. The planned increases, however, were suspended due to the pandemic.

To cover the higher cost of operations, the airport will adjust the PSSF anew on 1 April 2023 to $43.40 and 1 April 2024 to $46.40.

Given the increases in PSSF, the total to be paid by departing passengers by 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2024 will increase to $62.00 and $65.20, respectively.

Philip Goh, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Asia Pacific, said the timing of the reinstatement of the increases is “less than ideal.”

“The Asia Pacific airline industry is still in the early stages of recovery from the COVID-19 slump, and ideally would have preferred that the pause of the planned increase in charges is maintained.  In July 2022, international passenger demand in the region was only about 36% of 2019 levels, lagging behind other regions which are already seeing more than 70% of 2019 levels. Any additional cost burden at this stage will impact airlines' financial position negatively,” Goh said.

“Aviation hubs like Singapore must ensure they remain cost-efficient to maintain their attractiveness to airline operators. We hope the next regulatory review of these charges in 2024 will keep in mind a need for moderation and improvements when considering any further increase in aviation charges,” he added.

Meanwhile, the airport also announced that the Landing, Parking and Aerobridge (LPA) charges for all flights operating at Changi Airport will increase by 2% on 1 November.
 
LPA will increase by another 1% each year on 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2024.