Changi Airport Group (CAG)
Features | Aviation

Delivering the Changi Experience

A flight takes off or lands at Changi Airport once every 90 seconds and more than 53 million passengers pass through the airport each year. With more than 470 awards and accolades under their belt, the team behind CAG ensures that this thriving air hub remains poised to attract passengers and like-minded partners from all over the world by contributing to the stellar delivery of the Changi Experience.

Delivering the Changi Experience

A flight takes off or lands at Changi Airport once every 90 seconds and more than 53 million passengers pass through the airport each year. With more than 470 awards and accolades under their belt, the team behind CAG ensures that this thriving air hub remains poised to attract passengers and like-minded partners from all over the world by contributing to the stellar delivery of the Changi Experience.

Changi Airport is a bustling air hub with much to offer. As the manager and operator of the airport, Changi Airport Group (CAG) ensures that passengers are provided with first-class services and unrivalled capabilities so that all who leave the grounds of Changi can speak in awe of the Changi Experience.

With over 70,000 square metres of commercial space, the airport has also become a favourite haunt for Singapore residents and families, regardless of whether they are travelling. Chan Ze Ming, a CAG Overseas Undergraduate Scholar, recalls his younger days spent with his family at the airport and is raring to contribute to the team which has given him the memorable Changi Experience.

Chan Ze Ming
CAG Overseas Undergraduate Scholar

Studying: Bachelor of Economics, University of Warwick, UK

"I remember my parents bringing me to the airport to watch the planes or simply to patronise the McDonald’s or Swensen’s restaurants. Changi Airport is a national pride for Singaporeans and I want to help it maintain its position as the industry leader."

He shares, “I remember my parents bringing me to the airport to watch the planes or simply to patronise the McDonald’s or Swensen’s restaurants. Changi Airport is a national pride for Singaporeans and I want to help it maintain its position as the industry leader.

Ze Ming is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Economics at the University of Warwick, UK. He hopes to join the Airport Management team upon graduation and contribute to the development of the brand new Terminal 4, which is slated to open in 2017. He tells us, “As CAG expands and increases its capabilities, we are also rethinking our passengers’ travelling experience. I believe that the work at CAG will only get more exciting.”

A Dynamic Career

Already immersing her hands in the work of CAG is Amanda Thng, CAG Local Undergraduate Scholar and current Senior Associate at the Airside Concessions division in CAG. Amanda, too, had always been fascinated with the aviation industry since her childhood and speaks in wonder of the privilege to help manage the world’s most awarded airport.

She shares, “As a company, we are constantly innovating to stay ahead, pushing the boundaries and challenging the status quo. With many development projects in the pipeline such as the new Terminal 4, Project Jewel and Changi East, I am excited to see how the Changi Experience will evolve.”

In being a part of the Airside Planning and Leasing team, Amanda reviews current retail offerings to identify the most relevant fit for passengers and works closely with retailers to offer a diverse retail mix.

Amanda shares, “As I am still new to my role, I need to work on my awareness and understanding of the retail market so that I can better position the airport leasing opportunities to our retail operators. It certainly helped to have an extremely supportive supervisor and team. By watching my supervisor in action, I was able to learn how to build rapport with our retail partners.”

Amanda Thng Ai Shan
CAG Local Undergraduate Scholar

Designation: Senior Associate,
Airside Concessions, Changi Airport Group

Studied:
Bachelor of Law (Summa Cum Laude)
and Bachelor of Accountancy (Summa Cum Laude), Singapore Management University

Supporting Scholars’ Growth

Changi Airport’s quality operations are matched by the quality of its workforce. CAG opens up a world of opportunities for scholars that will see them trailblazing their chosen paths within the organisation.

Amanda had the opportunity to complete two internships with CAG during her undergraduate days, one of which was with the Airline Development Division. During her tenure, she learnt how to analyse historical flight statistics, evaluate the current performance of existing flight sectors and make recommendations for several new sectors. She muses, “These internship experiences gave me a preview of how different divisions operate and enabled me to familiarise myself with CAG’s operations. When I started working, I realised that the experiences gained from my internships really helped to accelerate my learning.”

For Ze Ming, he returns to CAG as an intern for at least one month during each summer holiday. His first internship gave him the opportunity to contribute to the establishment of Changi Recommends, an online travel start-up dedicated to offer visitors exceptional deals. He tells us, “It heartens me today to see the growth of Changi Recommends and the improvements made to it from when I was on the team in 2012.

“During my internships, the mentorship and guidance provided by the CAG staff have been very beneficial. It is also very encouraging to know that CAG engages scholars actively on a personal level to support our development. I was also sponsored for a summer school programme which saw me spending five weeks at Seoul National University in South Korea earlier this year.”

CAG offers exciting, multi-faceted careers for employees, and allows them opportunities to develop professionally. Amanda hopes to rotate to other divisions within CAG to gain a more holistic understanding of airport operations. She tells us, “I want to learn more about the different facets of airport management. I was thus really glad to learn that CAG provides opportunities for rotations. I am grateful to be in an organisation that takes such a keen interest in the development of its employees.”

"There are many opportunities to make a difference to the throngs of passengers who pass through our gates and to contribute to Singapore’s aviation landscape."

A Sense of Attachment to Changi

At CAG, employees work together in a unique environment to achieve exceptional results. Ze Ming strongly feels that it is important for CAG scholars to possess not only a love for Changi Airport, but also the desire to make a difference there. He shares, “At CAG, everyone feels a strong sense of attachment to the company we work for and we strive to maintain our status as the world’s best airport. If you know that you will be happy and proud to work for such an exemplary organisation, then the CAG scholarship is for you.”

Amanda agrees, concluding, “There are many opportunities to make a difference to the throngs of passengers who pass through our gates and to contribute to Singapore’s aviation landscape. I go to work each day feeling excited and inspired, and I am privileged to be part of a team that dares to dream big. Quite literally, the sky is the limit for Changi Airport.”