Date:26/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/26/stories/2005012612540600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Changi Airport breaks own record

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI, JAN.25. Singapore Changi Airport has broken its own record in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. A record 30.35 million passengers passed through Changi Airport in 2004 — a 23.1 per cent growth over the 24.67 million in 2003 and an increase of 4.7 per cent over the previous record of 29 million set in 2002.

In December 2004 alone, Changi Airport's passenger traffic jumped 9.4 per cent from the 2.96 million the previous year. This is a 7.5 per cent rise from December 2002.

In terms of air cargo, Changi Airport set a new record of 1.78 million tonnes of cargo in 2004, 10.2 per cent more than the 1.61 million tonnes in 2003. This is 8.4 per cent more than 2002's air cargo tonnage.

In December 2004, Changi Airport moved 1,53, 512 tonnes of airfreight — an 8.5 per cent increase from December 2003 and a 12.9 per cent increase from December 2002.

In a recent Index Study conducted by JD Power & Associates, Changi Airport received the highest overall passenger satisfaction score among the 89 airports included in the study.

Singapore's Transport Minister, Yeo Cheow Tong, said: "To differentiate ourselves from our competitors, Changi must continue to enhance its people-centered skills and service. Over the years, this has become our distinguishing trademark."

Changi Airport is served by more than 70 airlines, which operate over 3,700 scheduled flights every week to 175 cities in 55 countries.