Relax - Airshow gears up for more visitors

Relax

News

Article

WITH up to 100,00 people expected to throng Singapore Airshow this weekend, when it is open to the public, organisers are adding more measures to cope with a larger turnout.

The last airshow in 2010 saw more than 71,000 visitors over the weekend that it was opened to the public.

Asked by reporters what crowd-control measures would be in place, Mr Jimmy Lau, managing director of organiser Experia Events, said the number of queue lanes for visitors at the airshow's gateway will be increased to about 30, from 20 in 2010.

This is to facilitate smoother movement into the show's venue at Changi Exhibition Centre, said Mr Lau at a media conference for the biennial airshow.

More vehicle lanes for visitors driving to the airshow will be added, too. There will be about 100 bendy buses to shuttle visitors to the airshow from Changi Airport's Terminal 3 coach stand.

Mr Lau said that each bus, with 75 seats, can ferry about 80 to 90 people at a time.

He added that the buses will depart at 2-minute intervals.

The start time for the shuttle-bus service will be brought forward to 8am, instead of the original 8.30am at previous shows.

The interior-exhibition space has also been increased by about 25 per cent to 50,000 sq m, compared to 40,000 sq m in 2010.

About 70,000 tickets of the 90,000 available have already been snapped up by visitors, and passes for Saturday are sold out. Some 10,000 tickets have been set aside for trade visitors.

The number of tickets available this year is more than that at the last show. In 2010, it made available only about 60,000 tickets for the public, so as to better manage crowds.

In its inaugural year in 2008, the airshow drew over 90,000 visitors on its public days.

But it was marred by complaints of long queues and traffic snarls. The organiser has since tried to address these issues.

Despite looming economic uncertainties, Mr Lau is confident that the deals at this year's airshow would match the US$10 billion worth of deals at the 2010 airshow.

"This year, from what we have heard from the ground, it looks like good deals are going to be announced over the next three to four days here," he said.

The airshow begins tomorrow for trade visitors and is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday.

It will feature about 900 exhibitors from 50 countries, with 22 national pavilions, including one set up by the United States. In a first for the Singapore Airshow, there will be pavilions set up by Japan and Ukraine.

Over 65 commercial and military aircraft will be on display on the airshow grounds.

Highlights include Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) F-15SG and F-16D fighter jets.

There will also be aerial displays by a variety of aircraft, including a combined show by the RSAF's F-15SG and F-16C.

Airshow tickets, which cost $20 for adults and $8 for children aged 12 and below, are available from www.sistic. com.sg and all Sistic outlets.

For more details about the airshow, visit www.singaporeairshow.com

For more my paper stories click here.