Forum: Ensure Changi Airport remains price competitive with green jet fuel levy
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Follow topic:
I am dismayed to learn of the introduction of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) levy on passengers departing from Singapore from next year (” Passengers flying out of S’pore from Oct 2026 to pay extra $1 to $41.60 in green jet fuel levy
We will be the first and only country in the world to do so, and the International Air Transport Association may not recommend such a policy elsewhere, citing a dampening effect on air travel.
Singapore’s passenger aviation taxes are already high and are set to go even higher, with increases to take effect in stages from 2027. This newly introduced levy will only add to the growing list of fees and charges that passengers have to pay.
Changi Airport is not bereft of competition. For example, Johor’s Senai Airport is located close enough to present a viable lower-cost option. The upcoming cross-border Rapid Transit System link will further enhance its convenience and appeal.
Our ever-increasing aviation taxes may lead to an exodus of passenger traffic to these alternative air hubs instead.
Changi Airport is a beloved national treasure that has won global acclaim. We should do everything we can to keep it that way, not only by maintaining excellent service quality but also to ensure that it remains price-competitive.
I suggest that the introduction of the SAF levy be delayed, at least until there is some level of international consensus, such that we will not be the first and only country in the world to be implementing this.
Tan Hao Yang
