The Singapore International Airport Paya Lebar was officially opened by Colonial Secretary, Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd, on 20 August 1955. It was expected to handle up to 300,000 passengers a year. However by 1970, the number of passengers shot up to 1.7 million per year. Despite expansions, it was clear that Paya Lebar Airport could not accommodate the burgeoning human and air traffic. It was eventually replaced by Changi Airport in 1981. Paya Lebar Airport was then handed over to the Republic of Singapore Air Force and is now known as the Paya Lebar Air Base.
