Singapore's Changi Airport, Asia's fifth-largest, saw a 16.2 percent rise in air freight by tonnage in February from a year ago, showing stronger global demand for goods, data showed.

The airport also saw a 21.5 percent jump in passenger traffic in February, the biggest rise in six years, though this was skewed by visitors passing through the airport to the Singapore Airshow, as well as by the Lunar New Year holiday.

Changi Airport Group said it handled 3.11 million passenger movements last month, and 130,578 tonnes of airfreight movements.

The improvement comes after major carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific said they have seen a sustained recovery in air travel, including in the premium segment.

Singapore Airlines, the world's second most valuable carrier by market value, said this month it filled 71.4 percent of the passenger and cargo space available on its planes in February, up from 62.1 percent a year ago. (Reuters)