Operating indicators for March 2011

SINGAPORE, 21 April 2011 – Passenger traffic at Singapore Changi Airport rose 7.5% year-on-year to 3.71 million in March 2011. This was despite declines of 9.6% and 5.0% respectively for passenger movements between Singapore and Tokyo and Japan respectively.

Aircraft movements for the month increased 13.0% to 24,400 as low cost carriers (LCCs) continued to enjoy very strong growth. LCC passenger traffic rose 22.8% during the month, and, year-to-date, accounted for about 24% all traffic at Changi. On the cargo front, March 2011 was Changi’s busiest month in three years, with airfreight movements increasing 5.6% to 166,100 tonnes.

For the quarter (January to March 2011), Changi Airport registered 10.9 million passenger movements, an increase of 9.5% compared to the same period last year. This was underpinned by double-digit growth for traffic to and from Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. Changi handled some 70,400 aircraft movements during the same period, up 12.3% year-on-year. Airfreight movements increased 2.9% to 441,400 tonnes of cargo, up 2.9% compared to last year.

Changi Airport achieved a significant milestone when Singapore Airlines began thrice- weekly services to Sao Paulo via Barcelona on 28 March 2011. This is the first time that Changi is connected to the South American continent. Changi Airport also celebrated a new connection linking Singapore with Zhengzhou, the capital of China’s Henan Province. Xiamen Airlines’ daily Zhengzhou-Xiamen-Singapore flight began on 27 March. As at 1 April 2011, Changi serves some 100 airlines operating 5,600 weekly flights to more than 200 cities in 60 countries and territories.