Singapore Changi Airport handled more than 40 million passengers in the 12 months to August 2011.
In total, 45.1 million passengers passed through the airport in the period August 2010-2011, making it one of just seven airports in the world to handle more than 40 million passengers. The airport aims to have more than 50 million passengers annually by 2013.
A flight takes off or lands at Changi roughly every 100 seconds and the airport is well served for UK passengers looking to connect with China. More than 600 weekly flights connect Singapore to 24 cities around China.
“Singapore is strategically located at the crossroads of China, India and Australia, and Changi has served as the ideal air hub for airlines to tap on Asia’s growth,” said Mr Lim Ching Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s (CAG) senior vice president for market development.
“With some 5,200 weekly flights and a capacity of more than 550,000 weekly one-way seats to Asia and the Southwest Pacific, Changi is the world’s gateway to the two regions.”
In addition, Changi has also helped boost inbound tourism to Singapore itself in recent years. With the success of major events such as the Formula 1 night race, as well as the addition of integrated resorts, visitor arrivals to Singapore increased by 20.2 per cent to 11.6 million in 2010. For the 12 months to the end of July 2011, visitor arrivals to Singapore grew by 15.8 per cent.
With great transport links Singapore is considered a good convention destination too. In 2010, Singapore attracted 3.1 million business travellers, accounting for 27 per cent of Singapore’s total visitor arrivals.
In October, German airline Lufthansa will join Singapore Airlines and Qantas in operating the A380 aircraft at Changi Airport, a development that will make the airport the world’s busiest multi-carrier A380 hub. A380 destinations in January 2012 will include: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Paris, Zurich, Frankfurt, Los Angeles and New York.
At the end of September Changi received the Best Airport in the World accolade for a record 24th time from readers of Business-Traveller in the UK. Changi is a great airport for shopping, too, with 300 shops on more than 40,000 square metres of retail space.
The “Flying Or Not, You Shop We Absorb” programme means the stores pay the 7 per cent Goods and Services Tax. There’s also a 100 per cent money-back guarantee, no quibble. Cosmetics and alcohol are the best buys.
(Image: Simon_sees)
