SINGAPORE (Bernama): Singapore Changi Airport handled 17.6 million passenger movements in the first quarter of 2026, up 2.3 per cent year-on-year, underpinned by robust travel demand to and from North Asia and Europe despite disruptions stemming from the West Asia conflict, Changi Airport Group (CAG) said.
In a statement, CAG said aircraft movements, comprising landings and take-offs, reached 95,300 in the first quarter (Q1), up 1.4 per cent year-on-year, while air freight throughput rose 7.6 per cent to 517,000 tonnes.
However, passenger traffic between Singapore and West Asia fell sharply by 80 per cent year-on-year in March, although overall traffic still grew 2.9 per cent to 70.4 million over the 12 months.
"Changi Airport’s top five markets for the first quarter were China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and India.
"The top five city links for the quarter were Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Tokyo and Hong Kong, while Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo registered the strongest growth among the 10 busiest routes," it said on Friday.
CAG Executive Vice President for Air Hub and Cargo Development Lim Ching Kiat said travel demand in the quarter remained strong, bolstered by growth in North Asia and Europe.
"While there was some impact from the West Asia crisis, we were resilient and worked closely with our airline partners in response to evolving passenger demand and shifts in travel patterns," he said.
-- BERNAMA
