In the year 2005, Singapore Changi Airport was honoured to continue to win commendations from travellers and organisations helping it garner…
In the year 2005, Singapore Changi Airport was honoured to continue to win commendations from travellers and organisations helping it garner 23 best airport awards. These awards were bestowed upon Changi Airport by international publications and trade organisations. Changi Airport also celebrated another record-breaking year as passenger and cargo numbers hit 32.43 million movements and 1.83 million tonnes respectively in 2005.
Changi Airport’s most recent awards came from German and American travellers. Readers of the prestigious Business Traveller (Germany) magazine voted Changi the ‘Best Airport in the World’ and ‘Best Airport in Asia Pacific’, for the 13th and 4th consecutive year respectively. The two awards were presented to Changi Airport on 17 January 2006 in Frankfurt. In the latest survey conducted by the Global Traveler magazine, the American travelling community voted Changi as the world’s best airport. The publication presented the award to Changi Airport on 18 January 2006 in New York.
“Every award Changi Airport wins is a boost to the morale of all airport staff and a recognition of their efforts and commitment to quality service. At the same time, it is a reminder to us not to rest on our laurels. While celebrating a bountiful harvest of 23 awards, we thank Changi’s passengers for their support and assure them that our airport staff will remain steadfast in their service commitment”, said Mr Wong Woon Liong, Director-General of Civil Aviation, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.
Global Traveler readers have selected Singapore Changi Airport as the ‘Best Airport in the World’. It`s no wonder, with its beautiful facilities and smooth operations, frequent travellers find that this is not an airport they want to rush through, but enjoy, said Mr Francis X. Gallagher, Publisher & CEO of Global Traveler magazine.
The 32.43 million passenger movements handled by Changi Airport in 2005 represents an increase of 7% over the 30.35 million passenger movements achieved in 2004. A
Apart from awards and traffic, Changi Airport’s air connectivity reached an all-time high, with 83 airlines operating over 4,000 weekly scheduled flights to 180 cities in 57 countries as at 1 January 2006. In particular, weekly scheduled flights grew by 7% compared to about 3,700 weekly scheduled flights operating at the beginning of 2005. Changi’s air network also expanded, with four new airlines joining the family in 2005 – Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Adam Air and Yangtze River Express. Changi Airport also welcomed the return of Pakistan International Airlines and Merpati Nusantara Airlines.
Commenting on future growth, Mr Wong said, “Changi Airport expects its weekly flight frequencies to continue to grow in the first quarter of 2006, with most of these increases coming from Singapore carriers”. Singapore Airlines has announced new services to Karachi and Lahore in February 2006 as well as to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Moscow in March 2006. On 10 January 2006, Tiger Airways commenced 3 weekly services to Danang while Jetstar Asia and Valuair will launch new services to Bangalore and Bali respectively in the first quarter of 2006.
“These frequency increases will further enhance Changi’s connectivity within Asia, as well as further destinations in the Middle East and Russia,” Mr Wong continued.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
