Singapore Changi Airport registered 3.88 million passenger movements last month, 8.3% more than the corresponding period last year. At the same time, Changi handled 26,270 aircraft movements, surpassing the 26,000 mark for the first time and registering a new monthly record in terms of aircraft movements.

The growth in passenger traffic was driven by an increase in travel to and from Northeast Asia and South Asia with both markets registering double-digit growth. Demand for budget travel continued to improve with low cost airlines carrying 24.8% more passengers during the month. Passenger traffic on full service carriers grew 3.2% on-year.

Changi Airport handled 163,100 tonnes of cargo in October, an increase of 0.4% year-onyear. While overall cargo handled at Changi remained relatively unchanged compared to a year ago, transhipment cargo increased 11.3% during the month. As at 1 November 2011, Changi Airport is connected to some 210 cities in 60 countries and territories, and serves 100 airlines operating more than 6,100 weekly flights.

New Services – Changi Airport is now connected to 25 Chinese cities with the commencement of SilkAir’s thrice-weekly services to Changsha on 31 October. On the cargo front, Lufthansa Cargo began freighter operations at Changi last month. Using the 89-tonne MD-11F aircraft, Lufthansa Cargo operates twice-weekly services to Frankfurt with stops in Cairo, Dhaka, Mumbai, New Delhi and Sharjah. Singapore Airlines Cargo has also introduced a new service to Frankfurt which includes stops in Bengaluru, Chennai and Sharjah.

New Outlets – Home improvement retail chain Home-Fix has opened its first outlet in Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 Basement 2. Home-Fix offers the latest products in home improvement as well as ideas on rejuvenating homes. A new 24-hour convenience store, 7-Eleven, has opened at Terminal 1 Basement 1. Located near the Terminal 1 carpark, the outlet provides travellers and airport visitors with round-the-clock availability of a wide range of daily neccessities and food items.