Singapore Changi Airport handled 4.87 million passenger movements in September this year, 89% of its pre-Covid-19 levels (or in September 2019).
During the month, the airport recorded 27,800 landings and take-offs, also at 89% of its September 2019 levels.
Airfreight throughput stood at 154,000 tonnes for the month, unchanged y-o-y.
During the third quarter of the year, from July to September, Changi Airport saw 15.3 million passenger movements, 89% of the figures from 3Q2019. The airport’s top five markets for the three months to September were Australia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. China moved up to join the airport’s top five markets only during the quarter. This was attributed to the increased travel during the country’s two-month summer holiday and July and August. The resumption of the 15-day visa-free for Singapore citizens entering China in July was also one of the reasons behind the higher traffic from the country.
In the same period, aircraft movements reached 85,600, again at 89% of 3Q2019’s numbers.
From July to September, airfreight throughput totalled 451,000 tonnes, 4% lower y-o-y. According to Changi Airport, the softening in air cargo demand gradually eased during the quarter due to higher transhipment volumes.
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During the three months, Changi Airport's top five air cargo markets were Australia, China, Hong Kong, India and the US. Air cargo traffic from India, in particular, registered a strong growth of 21% y-o-y.
“Passenger traffic at Changi Airport continues to recover steadily across our key markets. In particular, traffic to and from China saw a surge in August, with half a million travellers handled that month, more than seven times the traffic in January 2023 when China's borders first reopened. As we move towards 2024, we will continue to work with airlines to reinstate more city links and strengthen capacity on existing routes, to further strengthen Changi Airport’s connectivity to the rest of the world,” says Lim Ching Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s executive vice president for air hub and cargo development.
In 3Q2023, China Eastern Airlines started inaugural services between Changi Airport and Beijing’s Daxing Airport. The inaugural services began on July 20.
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Singapore Airlines also announced that it will start passenger flights between Singapore and Brussels in April 2024. This brings Changi's passenger city links to Europe to 16.
As at Oct 1, 94 airlines operate over 6,400 weekly scheduled flights at Changi Airport, connecting Singapore to 151 cities in 49 countries and territories worldwide.
