Changi airport expands to meet traffic boom<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore's Changi airport passenger traffic
\nis expected to double while airfreight volume trebles in the next
\n12 years, forcing a major expansion program, a senior official
\nsaid yesterday.<\/p>\n
Growth in passenger and cargo traffic in Singapore
\nrespectively averaged a robust 9.1 percent and 12.3 percent
\nannually over the last 10 years, said John Chen, Minister of
\nState for Communications.<\/p>\n
\"In 1996, Changi airport handled 24.5 million passenger
\nmovements and 1.2 million tons of airfreight. In 12 years' time,
\npassenger traffic is expected to double and airfreight treble,\"
\nChen said as he opened a three-day regional conference and
\nexhibition on airports.<\/p>\n
But Singapore was well prepared to meet the rosy growth
\nforecasts in air traffic, he added.<\/p>\n
The plans include expansion of current facilities and a third
\npassenger terminal with capacity of 20 million passengers by
\n2004.<\/p>\n
Work is also under way on a fifth cargo building, costing S$75
\nmillion (US$53.57 million), which will add 35,000 square meters
\n(376,600 square feet) or 50 percent more space by early 1998.<\/p>\n
Other facilities proposed include a new airport hotel for
\npassengers on transit at Changi. There are currently some 100
\nhotel rooms in restricted areas of the two airport terminals.<\/p>\n
While ample airport capacity was vital, Chen said new
\ninfrastructures and systems that could raise airport productivity
\nand output while minimizing operating costs were equally crucial.<\/p>\n
\"Airport systems and equipment manufacturers will have to
\ncontinuously improve their products to make air travel and air
\nfreight more cost-effective, efficient, flexible and user-
\nfriendly,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Chen said the Asia-Pacific region had been earmarked as the
\nfastest growing hub for air traffic in the next decade, with many
\nAsian countries embarking on extensive airport projects to cater
\nto the projected boom.<\/p>\n
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has
\nforecast that international scheduled passenger traffic in Asia
\nPacific will grow at an average of 7.4 percent yearly up to 2010.<\/p>\n
\"This is significantly higher than the rest of the world which
\nwill grow at an average of 4.4 percent per annum,\" Chen said.<\/p>\n
IATA has projected that the region will account for 400
\nmillion passengers yearly or half the global total by 2010, from
\nover 122 million passengers or 35 percent of world traffic in
\n1995.<\/p>\n
The world's most expensive airports are already found in the
\nregion, topped by Hong Kong's 20-billion-US dollar Chep Lap Kok
\nproject.<\/p>\n
Japan's new Kansai airport built on reclaimed land off Osaka
\ncost 15 billion dollars while a third airport serving Tokyo could
\ncost 23 billion to 35 billion dollars, officials said.<\/p>\n
In China, some 20 new international airports are to open over
\nthe next decade while new international airports are also under
\nconstruction or being planned in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Seoul,
\nSydney and Bombay.<\/p>",
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