A strong performance in December and new freighter services spiked Singapore Changi Airport’s statistics in air cargo traffic in 2011.
Air freight movements recovered to 2008 levels with 1.87 million tonnes of cargo handled, up 2.8 percent from 2010, the Changi Airport Group (CAG) said in a 20 January 2012 statement.
Steady demand for air freight enabled Changi Airport to close the year on a positive note. Some 167,000 tonnes of cargo were handled in December, an increase of 6.9 percent year- on-year, representing Changi’s busiest month in three years.
In 2011, Changi’s cargo community welcomed the launch of freighter flights to Chengdu and Chongqing in China, and the introduction of all-freighter flights by Emirates and Lufthansa Cargo. At the same time, Cargolux and Cathay Pacific Cargo commenced operation of the new B747-8F aircraft to Singapore.
“It was an eventful 2011 for Changi Airport. Despite continuing economic uncertainty and environmental factors, we continued to develop the air hub and delivered another set of strong operating results,” Lee Seow Hiang, CAG’s chief executive officer, said.
He took a cautious outlook for 2012, however, saying it “remains hazy with the aviation industry expected to face volatile conditions. Nonetheless, CAG will continue to work with its stakeholders to face these challenges and capture opportunities to grow together.”
Photo courtesy of Changi Airport Group
