SINGAPORE Changi Airport has sealed its status as a major aviation hub in Asia-Pacific with record-breaking passenger traffic and more destinations added to its network in 2013.
The airport yesterday released official figures for 2013 that showed a total of 53.7 million passengers and 343,800 landings and take-offs, registering five per cent and 5.9 per cent growth respectively.
Besides breaking new ground for the number of passengers handled annually, the airport also smashed its monthly and daily records. It handled 5.1 million passengers in December – the first time the figure has surpassed five million since the airport’s opening – and 191,800 passengers and 1,100 flights on December 21.
Changi’s strong performance is fuelled by exponential growth in travel demand within the Asia-Pacific region. Travel to South-east and North-east Asia, which make up almost 70 per cent of the facility’s traffic, rose 8.2 per cent and seven per cent respectively.
Airside view of Singapore Changi Airport — Credit: Changi Airport Group
Indonesia is the biggest market (over 7.4 million passengers or 8.8 per cent growth year-on-year) and Jakarta is again the busiest route for Changi, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Manila. Bali (Denpasar) attracted 17 per cent year-on-year growth through Changi, making it the fastest growing of Changi’s top 10 routes.
Changi welcomed a host of new links and airports in 2013. Seven new Chinese destinations were added to its network namely Guilin, Jinan, Lijiang, Nanchang, Nanning, Ningbo and Wuxi, while Mandalay (Myanmar), Kalibo (the Philippines) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) are also now accessible from Singapore.
Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 25, 2013), Swiss International Air Lines (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 27, 2012), Golden Myanmar Airlines and Bangladesh’s United Airways and Regent Airways, now have operations based at Changi.
