Changi Airport welcomes TNT Airways

Singapore is the first Southeast Asian country to host TNT’s freighter flights The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) welcomed TNT Airways today as Changi Airport’s tenth all-cargo airline. The celebratory event was officiated by Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport. Starting 25 May 2008, TNT Airways will operate six freighter flights per week, linking Singapore to its hub in Liege, Belgium as well as Shanghai, China. Singapore will serve as TNT's first Southeast Asian transit point linking two major air cargo markets: China (via Shanghai) and Europe (via Liege).

TNT Airways, which is part of TNT Express Global Networks & Operations Business Unit, provides the air freight network for TNT Express locations throughout the world, especially in Europe. With the start of direct freighter flights to Singapore, the airline is primed to make Singapore its hub for express deliveries around the

region.

At the welcome ceremony, Guest-of-Honour Mrs Lim said, Last year, the growth of air cargo has been challenging, but there are signs for optimism. For Singapore, despite market challenges such as fluctuating fuel prices, air cargo throughput at Changi Airport has registered reasonable growth. She continued, “The vibrancy and competitiveness of our air cargo industry is not just a function of Changi’s air hub status, but also inextricably linked with the overall health of the larger logistics and supply chain industry in Singapore.”

Apart from occupying an extensive facility at the Express and Courier Centre within the Changi Airfreight Centre which TNT is looking to expand, TNT also launched a Life Sciences Express Hub in Changi South Districentre

in March 2007. This facility, which is TNT's largest such facility worldwide, allows Biomedical Science companies to base their logistics hubs in Singapore and reach customers in Asia within 24 hours. To this, Mrs Lim

noted, ”TNT’s growing presence in Singapore is a strong endorsement of Singapore’s status as an air express hub and another step in TNT’s longstanding and successful partnership with Singapore.”

With TNT Airways onboard, Changi Airport is now served by more than 80 scheduled airlines, operating more than 4,300 weekly scheduled flights to 190 cities in 59 countries. Liege, which is a key air cargo market, will provide a new cargo city link for Changi Airport, expanding our reach to Europe.

Source: Transportweekly