SINGAPORE Changi Airport handled over 45 million passengers for the first time ever last year.

The airport egistered 46.5 million passenger movements and 302,000 aircraft movements in 2011, an increase of 10.7 per cent and 14.5 per cent over the year before, respectively.

December 2011 was also the airport’s busiest ever month with 4.53 million passenger movements, 11.4 per cent more than in 2010. There were 27,700 aircraft movements during the month, an jump of 16.0 per cent compared to December 2010.

Strong travel demand in Asia-Pacific was the key growth driver for Changi Airport in 2011. South-east Asia and North-east Asia were the two best performing regions registering double-digit growth, while traffic to and from South Asia and South-west Pacific also enjoyed positive growth.

Jakarta, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Manila occupied the top five positions among Changi Airport’s top 10 routes. Among the sectors with at least half a million passengers, Taipei, Manila, New Delhi, Melbourne and Hong Kong registered the strongest percentage growth.

In 2011, seven new carriers including Air Macau, Hong Kong Airlines, Finnair, TransAsia Airways, IndiGo and Lao Airlines joined the airport’s portfolio of airlines.