SINGAPORE. Passenger traffic at Singapore Changi Airport rose +9.1% year-on-year in the first half of 2006 to 16.8 million, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced today.
June saw the highest monthly passenger movements this year. Passenger numbers were consistently high during the month, the CAAS said, with figures exceeding 100,000 every weekend (Friday through Sunday). June saw a +6.2% rise over the same month last year to 2.98 million.
More than 120 new scheduled weekly flights were launched at the airport during the year 1 July 2005 through 30 June 2006.
In December 2005 Changi Airport welcomed Adam Air’s commencement of 14 new weekly flights between Jakarta and Singapore, Thai Air Asia’s addition of 14 weekly flights to Bangkok and Jet Airways’ introduction of 14 weekly flights to Chennai.
Singapore’s local carriers also contributed to the improvement by increasing flights to regional destinations. Singapore Airlines mounted more flights to Adelaide, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Penang, Guangzhou and Taipei, while Jetstar Asia launched new flights to Bangalore.
SilkAir upped frequencies to Chinese cities such as Shenzhen, Xiamen, Chengdu and Chongqing, as well as Medan and Phuket. Tiger Airways, the low-cost carrier operating at Singapore’s Budget Terminal, expanded into the Chinese market by introducing new flights to Guangzhou, Haikou and Shenzhen.
Changi Airport’s air hub connectivity was also enhanced with new city links added to its network. Between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006 new destinations such as Islamabad, Lahore, Abu Dhabi, Haikou and Tianjin were added to the network.
CAAS said it expects the rise in routes, flights and passengers to continue. Last week Singapore Airlines launched new flights to Milan and Barcelona, and Cebu Pacific, a Philippine low-cost carrier, will be commencing operations at the Budget Terminal in late August.
As at 1 July Changi Airport is served by more than 80 airlines with flights connecting to more than 180 cities in 57 countries.
CAAS Director-General of Civil Aviation Wong Woon Liong said: “CAAS is continuously working with our airline partners to mount new flights to and through Changi Airport. We also appreciate that the airline industry is currently operating in a very difficult and challenging business environment, specifically the record-high fuel prices which have suppressed yields. Hence CAAS will continue in its efforts to proactively seek innovative ways to help airlines reduce operating costs.
“For example we have recently introduced new air traffic management procedures which allow pilots to fly more optimal routes, thus resulting in fuel savings for airlines. In addition our S$300 million Air Hub Development Fund offers a range of incentives to facilitate airlines’ growth.”
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