SINGAPORE. Changi Airport Group (CAG) today marked a new milestone in its history, registering more than 50 million passenger movements for the year. This traffic record was reached just two years after Changi crossed the 40-million threshold in 2010.
In the past two years, passenger traffic at Changi Airport has continued to grow strongly, due to an increasing number of low-cost travel options and booming demand for intra-Asia travel, according to CAG. The number of passengers departing from, arriving at and transiting through Changi Airport rose +10.7% in 2011 and increased by another +10.1% in the first 11 months of 2012.
To commemorate this significant occasion, CAG today held a celebratory event, in partnership with Indonesia’s national carrier Garuda Indonesia, to welcome the arrival of flight GA824 from Jakarta to Singapore – said to be the second busiest international air route in the world.
GA824 touched down at Changi Airport at 1018 hours to a water canon salute and lively fanfare. Some 200 members of the airport community and travel industry partners – as well as the media, including The Moodie Report – gathered in Terminal 3 to welcome over 160 passengers onboard the flight. Each passenger received a special gift pack containing shopping vouchers and souvenirs, as well as a commemorative certificate of the occasion.
Five lucky passengers were also selected to take part in a game show at Changi Airport’s Departure Transit area. One of them, Ms Prayanto Inkarani, a 24 year-old lawyer from Jakarta, walked away with the top prize of S$50,000 (US$40,890) worth of retail products and shopping vouchers from Changi Airport, as well as a pair of Singapore-Jakarta Executive Class air tickets sponsored by Garuda Indonesia. The other four passengers each received S$1,000 (US$818) in Changi Dollar Vouchers.
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The five lucky passengers taking part in the game show at Changi’s Departure Transit area |
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The grand prize includes S$40,000 (US$32,712) worth of products from Changi Airport stores |
Ms Inkarani’s prize comprises S$10,000 (US$8,178) in Changi Dollar Vouchers and 37 items from Changi Airport’s 330+ retail stores. These include an OSIM uDivine Massage Chair, an Omega watch, an Apple MacBook Pro, a Samsonite suitcase, beauty products from SKII and La Mer, fashion items from Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Bonia, Longchamp and Tiffany & Co., apparel from Desigual and Adidas, as well as Chupa Chups and M&M’s candies.
Commenting on her win, Ms Inkarani, who is visiting Singapore for a week-long holiday with her family to celebrate the New Year, said: “I am so surprised and excited; it’s like a great dream. I can’t believe there are all these wonderful prizes, which I’m definitely going to share with my family, such as the OSIM chair for my father, bags for my mother and shoes for my brothers.”
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Ms Prayanto Inkarani breezed through the three game segments to claim the top prize |
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Ms Prayanto Inkarani receiving S$10,000 (US$8,178) worth of Changi Dollar Vouchers from CAG Executive Vice President of Air Hub Development Yam Kum Weng (top) and a pair of air tickets from Garuda Indonesia Vice President Marketing Amelia Nasution (above) |
Record annual passenger traffic
Changi Airport handled 46.3 million passengers from January to November 2012. This 11-month figure is already close to the 46.5 million passenger movements achieved for the whole of 2011.
Robust double-digit growth in travel to and from Northeast Asia and South Asia contributed to the increase in passenger traffic since the start of the year. Traditionally strong markets such as Southeast Asia, Southwest Pacific and Europe also continued to grow healthily, a trend that accentuates Changi’s status as a major air hub in the Asia Pacific region, CAG said.
In the month of November alone, 4.37 million passenger movements were registered, a +12.2% increase year-on-year.
As at 1 December 2012, Changi Airport serves 109 airlines operating some 6,400 weekly scheduled flights to and from more than 230 cities in 60 countries and territories worldwide.
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Source: Changi Airport Group |
Growth made possible by strong airline partnerships
Changi Airport Group Chief Executive Officer Lee Seow Hiang said: “Despite a sluggish global economy and an uncertain outlook for air travel, Changi Airport has risen against the challenges to deliver another record-breaking year in 2012. This is the outcome of our strong partnerships with airlines like Garuda and concerted proactive efforts with them to grow air links and increase flight frequencies.
“We thank our many airline partners, the airport community and the tens of millions of passengers who have given us their solid support this past year. CAG will continue to invest in infrastructure at Changi Airport to ensure that we keep pace with future growth and that we continually provide passengers with a first class Changi Experience.”
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Source: Changi Airport Group |
Indonesia remains Changi’s top market
In terms of passenger traffic, Indonesia remains Changi Airport’s top country market, accounting for 13.4% of total traffic from January to November 2012.
During this period some 6.2 million passenger movements to and from Indonesia were registered, representing a +8.6% growth for the market on a year-on-year basis.
There is strong connectivity between Indonesia and Singapore, with a wide network of air links to 16 Indonesian cities via 1,000 weekly flights operated by 16 airlines. From January to November 2012, there were 3.7 million passenger movements on the Jakarta-Singapore route, making the Indonesian capital Changi’s busiest city link out of a total of over 230 cities links worldwide.
Two other Singapore routes – to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok – are also among the world’s five busiest international routes based on seat capacity.
From a retail perspective Indonesians are among the top three spenders at Changi Airport, together with the Mainland Chinese and Singaporeans, according to CAG.
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Garuda Indonesia has played a significant role in growing traffic between Singapore and Indonesia; Indonesia remains Changi’s top market in terms of passenger traffic |
Garuda at Changi Airport
As the national carrier of Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia has been a long time partner of Changi Airport, playing a significant role in growing traffic between Singapore and Indonesia. The airline’s first flight to Singapore was in 1966 to then Paya Lebar Airport, from Jakarta. Its operations moved to Changi Airport when the latter opened in 1981.
Garuda Indonesia Vice President, Area Asia Nicodemus Lampe said: “Garuda Indonesia has had a strong presence in Singapore, with our operations dating as far back as the early days of the country’s independence. Singapore is an important market for Garuda Indonesia and also the largest international destination in our global network. Today, we operate more than 130 weekly flights to and from Changi to Jakarta, Bali, Balikpapan and Makassar with more destinations to follow in 2013.
“We are honoured to be part of Changi Airport’s 50-million passengers’ celebration today. Going forward, we will continue to work closely with CAG to achieve growth together, as we capitalise on the opportunities presented within the Asia Pacific region.”
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