Singapore Changi Airport's upcoming Terminal 4 looks amazing!

If you live in Singapore and have ever ventured abroad, then you must know the welcoming and soothing feeling of returning to Changi airport.  Maybe it's the lush green foliage throughout the terminals or perhaps the speedy immigration arrivals process that puts me at ease.  It's no wonder Changi airport has won a slew of international awards, including the prestigious Skytrax World's Best Airport 2013.

As if things couldn't get better, Changi will be getting a 4th terminal in 2017.  According to the official webpage for the new T4 terminal . . .

Scheduled for completion in 2017, Terminal 4 will come with design and process innovations to redefine passengers' travel experience, raise operational efficiency and manpower productivity for airlines and airport agencies. It will also be vibrant and positively surprising, with touches of Singapore culture.

This is typical Singapore corporate speak.  When translated, it basically there's going to be a lot of automated processes that will zip travelers through the airport so they can spend more time (and money) at all the fancy new designer shops that will overtake the terminal.

These automated processes include the FAST intiatives (Fast And Seamless Travel).  For the very first time, Changi will launch self-service automation for check-in, bag drop, immigration, and boarding gates.

Although it's just turning 2014, I'm already looking forward to 2017 when I can arrive at Changi's T4 departure hall just 30 minutes before my scheduled departure time.  And to think some people feel my current practice of arriving 45 minutes before departure is cutting it too close.  :-)