Changi Airport October freight drops 8pc, but passenger numbers surge

SINGAPORE Changi Airport has announced that airfreight movements in October declined eight per cent compared to the same month a year earlier to 150,000 tonnes.

Between January and October 2012, the airport handled 1.50 million tonnes of cargo, a decrease of 2.4 per cent against the same period in 2011.

On the other hand, Singapore recorded its highest number of passengers in October with 4.27 million movements, up 10 per cent year on year.

During October the gateway handled 27,600 flight movements, an increase of 5.2 per cent over 2011.

Passenger traffic to and from the Middle East continued its upwards trend with the region recording double-digit growth every month this year. Traffic to and from traditional growth regions such as Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and Southwest Pacific also increased by double-digits, a statement from airport authorities said.

Year to date, passenger traffic at Changi Airport has grown 9.9 per cent to 41.9 million. It said if traffic in November and December remains unchanged compared to last year, Changi would end 2012 with more than 50 million passenger movements.

Aircraft movements for the January-October 2012 period totalled 268,000, an increase of 8.1 per cent year-on-year.

Highlights during October include the launch of SilkAir's thrice-weekly services connecting Singapore and Visakhapatnam on October 28. On the cargo front, Lufthansa Cargo commenced freighter services between Singapore and Almaty, a major commercial centre in Kazakhstan. The airline is operating twice weekly flights on the Frankfurt-Almaty-Singapore route using an 89-tonne MD-11 Freighter.

The airport also welcomed the return of Shenzhen Airlines. The Chinese carrier's daily flight between Shenzhen and Singapore departs Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport at 2230 hrs and arrives in Changi at 0210. The return flight leaves Singapore at 0815 and lands in Shenzhen at 1155.