Airline's exit shrinks options for consumers, but unlikely to dent Changi's hub status

Jetstar Asia's impending exit after more than two decades in Singapore is a blow to budget-conscious travellers, even if the low-cost airline's modest 3 per cent share of Changi Airport's traffic might suggest otherwise.

- Kenneth Cheng

Although Changi remains well-served by other budget carriers on busy routes such as Bali and Jakarta, Jetstar Asia's departure will sever non-stop links to four emerging holiday spots.

The Singapore offshoot of Australia's Jetstar – which began operations in December 2004 – is the only airline that serves Okinawa in Japan, Wuxi in China, Labuan Bajo in Indonesia and Broome in Australia from Changi.

While Changi Airport Group (CAG) has said it would work with other airlines to restore connectivity, the prospect of losing non-stop connections to these cities comes at a time when Singapore is looking to aggressively expand the number of destinations linked to Changi.

The airport is connected to about 170 cities worldwide, and the target is to surpass 200 cities by the mid-2030s, when Terminal 5 opens.