Passenger traffic at the Singapore Changi Airport increased by 0.5 per cent compared to pre-Covid levels in 2019.

Changi Airport Group (CAG) said in a Apr. 25 media release that the airport recorded 16.5 million passenger movements between January to March 2024, exceeding numbers in the first quarter of 2019.

Starting the year strong

The airport's top five markets for the quarter were China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and Thailand.

CAG said the airport handled 5.43 million passenger movements in January, or 96 per cent of traffic in January 2019.

5.35 million movements were recorded in February 2024, amounting to 104 per cent in February 2019 while 5.73 million passenger movements were recorded in March 2024, or 101 per cent of traffic in March 2019.

The significant increase in passenger traffic was attributed to the mutual 30-day visa-exemption arrangement between Singapore and China, which was launched on Feb. 9, 2024.

It has boosted travel between the two countries, propelling China as Changi’s top market for the quarter.

Among the top 10 cities that surpassed Q1 2019 by more than 10 per cent are Denpasar (Bali), Manila, Taipei, Seoul and Shanghai.

CAG executive vice president for air hub and cargo development Lim Ching Kiat said the quarter's overall traffic increase was "boosted by the hosting of many music concerts in Singapore and the relaxing of visa requirements between China and Singapore".

Lim said: "Our goal is to achieve 100% traffic recovery this year. We will also introduce new airline brands and destinations to Singapore.”

World's third busiest airport

In 2023, Changi Airport was the world’s fifth busiest airport by international passenger volume, reported Airports Council International.

The airport is the world’s third busiest international airport by seat capacity in March and April 2024, according to a report by OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited.

Changi Airport has also commenced two new passenger service routes, including Air Canada’s Vancouver-Singapore service launched on Apr. 4 and Singapore Airlines’ Singapore-Brussels service launched on Apr. 5.

On Apr. 15, Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot received its first Embraer jets, which will allow the airline to service more destinations.

Changi Airport sees the operation of 95 airlines servicing more than 6,800 weekly flights to 153 cities in 48 countries and territories all over the world as at Apr. 1, 2024.

Top photo via Changi Airport/Facebook