We thank Mr Benny Tan for his feedback (PCR tests at the airport should be cheaper, Oct 7).

To support the on-arrival testing requirement for travellers coming to Singapore, Changi Airport Group (CAG) has to set up and operate a dedicated airport testing facility for arriving passengers on a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week basis.

In addition, dedicated manpower has to be deployed to accommodate the peaks of flights and travellers arriving at different times throughout the day. This is done with the necessary safe management measures in place.

The test results are also released faster, that is, within 12 hours from the time the test is taken. With all these arrangements, arriving passengers benefit from safe and quicker processing, with reduced waiting times for their on-arrival Covid-19 test results.

To obtain a more competitive pricing for the on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, CAG reviews costs and, where possible, lowers the testing fee, which we have done twice since testing was introduced in June last year.

Given that lab testing cost forms a significant portion of the total PCR test fee, CAG has recently called for a tender for this component as part of its cost review.

Damian Tan

Vice-President

Airport Operations (Airport Operations Management)

Changi Airport Group