Layover at Changi brings Australian closer to winning $1 million

SINGAPORE, 11 December 2012 – The sixth and final shopper to emerge as a finalist for Changi Airport’s ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ Draw in 2012 is a 55-year-old Australian from Melbourne.  Mara Cusick, an accounts administrator at a telecommunications consultancy, transited at Changi Airport when she went on a dream vacation to Italy with her husband over September and October this year.

When planning their flight itinerary from Melbourne to Milan, she made a conscious decision to fly via Changi Airport on Singapore Airlines.  “Apart from the fact that I like the airline, Changi Airport is one of the best airports to spend a few hours in.  It is so modern and big, very comfortable and well-organised, and there are so many things to do. Time passes by so quickly when we are there,” said Ms Cusick. Her flight booking gave her more than just a pair of air tickets to Italy; it turned out to be her ticket to the Millionaire Grand Draw 2012 as well.

On the couple’s way home from their wonderful five-week vacation to Italian cities like Milan, Rome and Sicily, Ms Cusick and her husband had a three-hour layover at Changi Airport on 12 October. Given that this was her second time transiting at Changi following a previous trip to France two years ago, she made it a point to go shopping, as she had great memories of the retail experience at Changi.

“The prices at Changi Airport are very competitive, compared to other countries. I buy a lot of cosmetics at home, so I am familiar with the prices. The prices of beauty products at Changi are about 45% cheaper than what I usually get!” said Ms Cusick.  At the Perfumes and Cosmetics store at Terminal 3’s Departure Transit Mall, she spent over S$220 on Chanel beauty products for her daughter and sister. As a result of this purchase, she now stands a one-in-six chance to win the grand prize of S$1 million.

The idea that she could become a millionaire overnight seemed too good to be true to the lady who has never gotten lucky in any draws in her life. “I was cooking when I got the call from Changi, and at first, I thought it was someone trying to sell me something. In fact, I was very concerned that I was being targeted for fraud, especially when asked to provide personal details. But after some communication and research online, I was convinced of the authenticity of this and became very excited,” said Ms Cusick.

If she wins the million-dollar fortune, the mother of two married children plans to use the funds to help them set up their first homes, take another great holiday with her husband – to the Americas this time, and invest the remaining for retirement. 

With the draw of Ms Cusick as the last of the six finalists, the stage is all set for the Changi Millionaire 2012 Grand Draw.  Among the other five finalists, three are from China, while two are from Singapore. During the six-month promotion from 12 May to 11 November 2012, one finalist was drawn each month for participation in the Grand Draw.[1] Come January 2013, all six of them will gather at Changi Airport for an exciting finale to determine which one of them will be S$1 million richer.

“I am a little nervous, but I won’t think too much about the Grand Draw, so I won’t get too disappointed if I don’t win. But I’m definitely looking forward to my holiday in Singapore when I visit for the event,” said Ms Cusick, who plans to spend a few days vacationing in Singapore with her husband when she visits in January.

For all three runs of ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’ since the promotion’s debut in 2010, the Grand Draw has seen at least one Australian finalist every year, with the 2011 Changi Millionaire being Jessica Down from Perth. Australia is one of the top three markets for Changi Airport in terms of passenger traffic, and Australians rank amongst the top five nationality groups in terms of contribution to retail sales. Changi Airport is an important gateway in the Asia-Pacific region, with 10 carriers currently operating some 220 weekly services connecting Singapore to seven destinations[2] in Australia.

For more details of ‘Be a Changi Millionaire’, please visit www.changiairport.com/millionaire.

[1] Each finalist wins a cash prize of S$5,000 each (apart from the Changi Millionaire who wins S$1 million), with return airfare to Singapore (for non-Singapore residents) plus a two-night hotel stay.

[2]Changi Airport is connected to Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.