CHAPTER 9 Singapore

Singapore civil aviation market experienced a significant recovery in 2022 compared to the previous year, although it still fell short of pre-COVID-19 levels.

y Passenger Traffic: Changi Airport handled approximately 32.2 million passengers in 2022, which is nearly half of the passenger traffic recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The recovery in passenger numbers was attributed to Singapore being one of the first Asian countries to reopen in April 2022 and the Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme in place prior to that.

y Flight Operations: A total of 2,19,000 flights were recorded at Changi Airport in 2022, representing 57.2 per cent of the flight volume in 2019. This indicates a significant recovery in flight operations, although still below prepandemic levels.

y December 2022: December was the busiest month at Changi Airport, with 4.62 million passengers passing through, accounting for 72 per cent of the passenger traffic in December 2019.

Additionally, 25,400 flights landed or took off in December 2022, which is more than threequarters of the pre-pandemic flight volume.

y Connectivity: Changi Airport’s connectivity reached 82 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in December 2022. A total of 95 airlines were scheduling flights from Changi Airport to 140 cities, with several new destinations added.

y Recovery and Outlook: Changi Airport’s recovery outpaced expectations, and it ended 2022 as the largest international airport in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of international passenger traffic. Analysts expect passenger traffic to gradually increase in 2023, reaching approximately 80 per cent of 2019 levels in the coming months. However, the recovery in China-Singapore air travel is expected to be gradual.

Singapore Airlines: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has shown significant improvements in its operating and financial performance during the year 20222023. The airline posted an operating profit of $1.23 billion for the first half of the financial year ended September 30, indicating a positive outlook for the