Changi to strengthen SEA and China network in H2

Changi Airport is looking to strengthen its connectivity to more points in Southeast Asia and China in the second half of the year as the airport regained more than 80 percent of capacity in the month of June.

On a quarterly basis, Changi Airport saw 14.6 million passenger movements from April to June 2023, which was 87 percent of what was registered for the second quarter of 2019. Meanwhile, airfreight throughput from April to June 2023 totalled 418,000 tonnes, sliding 10.8 percent year-on-year.

Changi said air cargo demand remained weak due to softening demand amid inflationary pressures. In Q2, Changi’s top five air cargo markets comprised Australia, China, Hong Kong, India and US with India emerging on the top 5 for two consecutive quarters since the start of 2023.

In June, the airport’s passenger movements crossed the 5-million mark for the first time since January 2020, or 88 percent of the baseline passenger numbers back in June 2019, before the pandemic. Air cargo volumes stood at 135,000 tonnes for the month, representing a year-on-year decline of 17 percent.

Regaining more than 80 percent of its capacity before Covid, the airport said it plans to strengthen connectivity to more points in Southeast Asia and China in the second half of the year. As of 1 July, 99 airlines operate over 6,300 weekly scheduled flights at Changi Airport, connecting Singapore to 148 cities in 49 countries and territories worldwide.