Changi ‘partners’ with airlines
FOR a signicant number
of travellers to Asia, a visit
to the continent starts in
Singapore, either in transit at
Changi Airport or for a night or
two as a stopover.
Central to driving air trafc
into and out of Singapore is
the airport, which many would
say is unlike any other in the
world. While other airports
continue to clash with airlines
over high prices, Changi has
a unique approach in that it
‘partners’ with the airlines
operating ights into and
out of Singapore, offering
incentives to further the
growth of all parties.
According to a Changi Airport
Group (CAG) spokesperson,
the airport values this
partnership with all airlines
as they are the enablers of
the air hub. “Our goal is to
work closely with our airline
partners to bring about win-win
growth for both the airlines
and Changi Airport. CAG
adopts a customised approach
in our partnership with airlines.
Incentive programmes and
joint collaborations with airline
partners are tailored according
to the individual airline’s
business model and needs,”
she says.
An example is the Changi
Airport Growth Initiative,
an incentive package that
encourages airlines to start
new routes or increase
ight frequencies to existing
destinations.
In 2013, the airport, which
is among the ve busiest
international airports in
the world, handled 53,7m
passengers and 343 800
landings and take-offs. As
of January 1, 2014, Changi
handles more than
6 900 weekly scheduled ights
with more than 100 airlines
connecting it to 280 cities in
some 60 countries.
According to the
spokesperson, South Africa
is an important market for
the airport and is expected
to increase in size. “Point-topoint
trafc between South
Africa and south-east Asia has
grown steadily over the past
ve years. Almost 300 000
passengers travelled between
these two regions in the 12
months ending November
2013, an increase of about
34% since 2009,” she says.
Alvin Seah, Singapore
Airlines gm, Central and
Southern Africa, says:
“Working with the Changi
Airport Group to provide a
good transit and stopover
service is key to enabling us
to promote Singapore as a
hub for travel to Asia Pacic
destinations.” He says the
airline caters for passengers
travelling to Singapore as well
as those travelling into Asia
and Australia or New Zealand.
Although currently only
about 40% of the airline’s
passengers are bound
for Singapore, Alvin says
Singapore is a growing
destination for both corporate
and leisure travel. “The
city state is continuously
re-inventing itself to provide
new experiences for both the
corporate and leisure traveller.”
Alet Steyn, business
development manager
at Wendy Wu Tours, says
Singapore is mainly offered
as a stopover destination en
route to Vietnam, Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar or China.
“We make use of Singapore
Airlines, so most clients
see this as an opportunity
to add Singapore on at the
beginning or end of a tour as
a stopover destination, thus
adding another country to their
holiday,” she explains.
Wendy Wu offers various
short stopovers that include
visits to Merlion Park, the
National Orchid Garden, Little
India, Singapore Flyer and
Gardens by the Bay. There is
also a tour to Sentosa Island,
which houses south-east
Asia’s rst Universal Studios
Theme Park and the world’s
largest marine life park.
Alvin says South Africa’s
outbound market has a lot
of potential as travellers
keep discovering more offthe-beaten-path
destinations
in Asia. The increasing size
of the middle class is also
an indicator of future growth.
“Despite the short-term
challenge of a depreciating
rand, the market has high
potential in the medium and
long term,” he says.
Putting Mice on the SMAP
CHANGI Airport Group, along
with Singapore Airlines and
the Singapore Exhibition &
Convention Bureau, recently
launched a programme
specically targeting the
meetings, incentives,
conference and exhibitions
(MICE) industry.
Called the Singapore
MICE Advantage Programme
(SMAP), it aims to enhance
the overall experience for
overseas MICE visitors.
The three stakeholders
developed SMAP to provide a
seamless Singapore meeting
experience.
Peh Ke-Wei, Changi Airport
Group’s vice president,
passenger development,
says: “Many MICE visitors
have such a packed itinerary
during their short stay that
the only time they have to
buy gifts and souvenirs is
at the airport. This is why
we have chosen to provide
Changi Dollar Vouchers
as part of the SMAP
programme.” The voucher
is redeemable at selected
retail, food and service
outlets at the airport.
Alvin Seah says the SMAP
programme is an example
of the airline and Changi
collaborating to ensure they
remain competitive and tap
into high potential segments.
“SMAP basically targets the
MICE segments by offering
a comprehensive package
of benets that will position
Singapore and Singapore
Airlines as preferred
destination and carrier for
MICE organisers. Benets
include special airfares,
baggage allowance, free
tickets, facilitation in event
organisation and discounted
hotel rates,” he says.
Family Favourites from Wendy Wu
WENDY Wu Tours has a new
four-day ‘family favourites’
short-stay tour for 2014. From
R8 918 per person it includes
visits to Merlion Park, Thian
Hocj Keng (one of Singapore’s
oldest Buddhist-Taoist
temples), the National Orchid
Garden, Little India, Singapore
Flyer and the Singapore Zoo.
Learn and win!
TRAVEL consultants stand
a chance to win one of
10 Woolworths shopping
vouchers to the value of
R1 000 by completing
the Singapore Airlines
and Changi Airport Group
Travelinfo online workshop.
The workshop runs until
March 9.
‘Click and pick’ with Changi website
CHANGI Airport Group recently
launched iShopChangi, an
online shopping portal offering
a range of popular duty-free
products from the airport’s
retail stores.
iShopChangi provides
travellers with the convenience
of browsing at their own
pace before they’ve even
packed their luggage. Ivy
Wong, Changi Airport Group’s
senior vice president,
airside concessions, says:
“With iShopChangi, we are
integrating Changi Airport’s
strong proposition of tax and
duty-free shopping with the
advantages of online retail,
offering our passengers
greater convenience, comfort
and value.”
iShopChangi offers some
1 800 items across ve
categories including beauty,
wine and spirits, chocolates
and delicatessen, IT and
electronics as well as
timepieces.
Passengers simply need
to ‘click and pick’ – click to
purchase the items they are
interested in via the portal
and then pick them up at the
departure terminal on their
way to the ight gate at the
iShopChangi Collection Centre.
Members of Changi
Rewards, the airport’s loyalty
programme, earn reward
points for every dollar spent on
iShopChangi and have access
to exclusive discounts and
promotions.
Amazing stopover deal from SQ
SINGAPORE Airlines is
offering a special onenight
Singapore Stopover
Holiday deal from just R517
(SG$59). The package
includes accommodation,
return airport transfers
and admission into major
attractions (worth up to
R2 600). The price is
applicable for bookings made
until September 30, valid for
stopovers until March 31,
2015. Further information on
Travelinfo.
Did you know?
Singapore is approximately a one-hour drive from
Changi International Airport;
Singapore plays host to the annual Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix each September;
SA passport holders don’t require a visa for leisure visits to Singapore for stays of up to 30 days.
