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AIRPORTS

AIRPORTS

Beijing and Dublin tie up
Beijing Capital International Airport
(BCIA) has signed a Memorandum Changi expansion plans
of Understanding (MOU) with Dublin According to Lee Hsien Loong, handling station. “Project Jewel’...
Airport Authority (DAA) to collaborate on Singapore’s Prime Minister, the will expand Terminal 1 and will be
future joint marketing and commercial island-state’s Changi Airport has been connected with the other [terminals],
ventures. The two airports are now targeted for a major upgrade by the but it will have shops, restaurants and
named as ‘Sister Airports’, with plans government’s thinkers – and is aiming a beautiful indoor garden,” said Lee.
to establish direct flights already on the for a 100 million-plus passenger count The Jewel project – which has been
table, and more joint ventures planned. by the mid 2020s. Plans include a estimated as providing a 1,000-job
The two will also share operational and new runway (making three in total), a boost to the Changi economy – is aimed
sustainable development resources. new Terminal (its fifth), and what Lee at making the airport not just bigger,
“This is a very significant strategic move described as a “jewel”. This is a new but also a place for “families on Sunday
for ARI, as it means we will be operating multi-use facility, and is designed to outings, students maybe studying for
outlets in the fast-growing Chinese make the airport more of a destination exams and newlyweds taking bridal
airport market for the first time,” in its own right, rather than merely a photos,” he described.
said DAA CEO Declan Collier. DAA’s
subsidiary Aer Rianta International
(ARI) will operate 11 retail outlets at
Yunnan Airport Group’s new Kunming
Changshui International Airport, due to
open next January to replace the city’s
existing airport. “We are confident the
[agreement] will lead to additional
contracts in the region and across
China,” said Jack MacGowan, ARI CEO.

APEC aviation still
growing
The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) APAC Airports still growing
says in a report that aviation generates The Airports Council International (ACI) followed by Singapore, then Bangkok
US$1.1 trillion in GDP across 21 APEC has released its first-half figures that and Incheon – while Beijing reported
economies. In China alone, air transport indicate continuing growth for the year the biggest passenger throughput with
supports 6,100,000 jobs and US$57.8 so far, listing a 5.9% overall average 40.8 million passengers in the first
billion in the country’s GDP. “The growth. Passenger traffic for June 2013 half of 2013, 3.6% up on 2012. “With
breadth and importance of air transport has increased by 6.6% overall. Best the significant slowdown in domestic
to economies in APEC is impressive,” cargo results came from Hong Kong, passenger traffic across European
says ATAG executive director, Paul which racked up almost two million and North American markets, the
Steele, noting that air transport handled tonnes handled, a healthy (in global source of much of the growth hinges
23.2 million tonnes of high-value trade terms) 1.9% increase over 2012. Hong on the international traveller,” said ACI
in APEC during 2010. Kong was also the busiest overall, director Rafael Echevarne.

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