Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1119696/1/.html
SIA and CNA tie-up to introduce "news ticker" on SIA flights
By Satish Cheney | Posted: 30 March 2011 1825 hrs

SINGAPORE: Within the next few months, 40 per cent of all SIA flights, including all long haul flights, will have a 'live' news ticker service provided by regional news channel, Channel NewsAsia.

"We've already got games, movies, music. So I think introducing a news ticker tape was the most natural thing to move into. We know from feedback from our business travellers in particular, they wanted more up-to-date information on what's happening around the world, around areas that affect their business. So that's how we got into this tie-up," said Mr Tan Pee Teck, senior VP of Products and Services for SIA.

Fresh news headlines are provided every 30 minutes from the news channel's interactive news department.

"It is basically through the use of Internet technology. A file is sent to SIA's servers and in a way they use their own infrastructure to deliver it to the planes that are in the air. Basically it's using communications technology to deliver as quickly as possible, things that are updated in the newsroom here," said Mr Yeo Hock Lin, VP of E-News for Mediacorp.

Singapore Airlines said it plans to introduce "in-flight connectivity" later in the year, which will enable passengers to enjoy more news features.

- CNA/cc

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1120328/1/.html
Man dies on SIA flight bound for San Francisco
By Satish Cheney | Posted: 02 April 2011 2214 hrs

SINGAPORE: A Singapore Airlines flight bound for San Francisco ended in tragedy for one man on Saturday.

The man, whose name is not known at the moment, died on board Singapore Airlines flight SQ2 which was on its way to the US city from Singapore via Hong Kong.

Singapore Airlines said the man, who was holding a US passport, was found unconscious one-and-a-half hours before the flight landed in San Francisco.

Three passengers, believed to be from the medical field, answered the call for help from the air crew and tried to provide medical assistance.

They tried reviving him but their attempts were unsuccessful.

The cause of death could not be confirmed at the moment.

Singapore Airlines said it will provide any form of assistance needed by the man's family.

-CNA/ac

Source:http://theedgesingapore.com/the-daily-edge/business/27848-sia-resumes-normal-tokyo-trips-as-quake-concerns-ease.html
SIA resumes normal Tokyo trips as quake concerns ease
Written by Bloomberg
Monday, 04 April 2011 13:56

Singapore Airlines eliminated extra stops on Tokyo flights that were introduced after a March 11 earthquake disrupted transportation links and power supplies in the Japanese capital.

Flights serving both Tokyo Haneda Airport and Tokyo Narita are now operating non-stop, Nicholas Ionides, a spokesman, said by e-mail today. The Singapore-based carrier, Qantas Airways Ltd. and British Airways were among airlines to add extra stops on Japan flights last month so that crew members could avoid spending the night in Tokyo.

“We have reviewed the situation and conditions in Tokyo closely, and are satisfied that there are sufficient supplies and measures in place to ensure the well-being and safety of our crew during their layovers,” Ionides said.

British Airways, a unit of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, has also resumed non-stop flights to Narita, removing an extra stop that prolonged journey times and increased fuel usage. Demand for flights to Tokyo has tumbled though as engineers battle to prevent a meltdown at a nuclear- power plant crippled by the temblor and a tsunami.

Singapore Airlines has cut one of its daily Haneda flights until May 8, according to a notice on its website. Cathay Pacific Airways and Qantas have also suspended some services to Japan.

Source:http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/man-pleads-guilty-to-threatening-aircraft/story-e6freonf-1226034163169?from=public_rss
Man pleads guilty to threatening aircraft
AAP | April 05, 2011 4:12PM

A MAN has pleaded guilty to threatening the safety of a Melbourne-bound Singapore Airlines flight weeks after he was released from prison for making a hoax bomb call to the same airline.

Raymond Lawson, 37, today pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to threatening to kill a man on July 14, 2010, and to making a threat against the safety of an aircraft on July 15.

The threats were made weeks after he was released from prison having served 252 days for making hoax bomb calls to hospitals, police and Singapore Airlines.

In the earlier instances, Lawson, along with a friend, Joseph Bucek, had claimed to belong to a fictitious terrorist organisation.

On one occasion they claimed they had planted a bomb that would blow up Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.

And their threat to Singapore Airlines prompted a mid-air search of one of its aircraft.

The pair pleaded guilty to three counts of making a bomb hoax.

Lawson was sentenced to 12 months' jail but was released soon after, having already spent 252 days in custody, with the remainder of his sentence suspended.

In sentencing the men on June 24, 2010, Judge Frank Gucciardo issued a stern warning.

"You come back to this court with anything resembling the type of offence that you have committed in relation to these matters and you can expect to spend a long time in jail. Do you understand?" he said.

In court today, Judge Gucciardo ordered Lawson remain in custody and reappear in the same court on May 3, when his pre-sentence hearing will continue.

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1121098/1/.html

SIA Engineering, Sagem launch avionics facility
By Julie Quek | Posted: 06 April 2011 2142 hrs

SINGAPORE : SIA Engineering has partnered a unit of global technology firm Safran Group to launch a new avionics facility in Singapore.

In a joint statement, the firms said that the new facility is poised to tap the growing avionics maintenance, repair and overhaul market.

Located at Changi North Rise, the facility supports the latest aircraft types and is designed to handle next-generation aircraft such as the B787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350.

The facility is 49 per cent owned by SIA Engineering and 51 per cent by Sagem, a subsidiary of Safran.

- CNA/ms

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121357/1/.html
SIA plane losses pressure in one of its tyres mid-flight
By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid | Posted: 07 April 2011 2227 hrs
SINGAPORE : A Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight carrying 216 passengers found itself in an unexpected situation mid-way through flight on Wednesday morning.

SIA said SQ 407 from New Delhi experienced loss of pressure in one of its tyres.

Relevant authorities in Singapore were alerted about the issue, and clearance was given for the aircraft to land.

The airline said flight operations of the Boeing 777-300 were not affected.

But emergency services, such as fire control, were deployed as a precaution.

The plane landed at about 7.30am and ground engineers spent 45 minutes checking it, before it was cleared to taxi to the gate.

A Channel NewsAsia viewer onboard said: "The plane came to an abrupt halt, passengers were calm and the pilot kept them informed of the situation."

The President of the Airline Pilots Association of Singapore, Captain P James, said a loss of pressure in tyres is a rare occurrence. But he said planes are designed to have enough redundancies, and such a loss of pressure in only one tyre will have little impact on landing and movement on the runway.

- CNA/ms

Source:http://www.telecomasia.net/content/singapore-airlines-taps-onair-onboard-gsm-wi-fi
Singapore Airlines taps OnAir for onboard GSM, Wi-Fi
Staff writer | April 08, 2011
telecomasia.net

OnAir and Aeroconseil in the coming months will begin fitting nineteen B777 aircraft from the Singapore Airlines fleet with onboard GSM and Wi-Fi technology.

Aeroconseil will cover the engineering and certification aspects of the changes alongside OnAir, which is providing equipment and the connectivity services to passengers' mobile devices. OnAir and Aeroconseil are working together on this major project to implement the communication systems for the long-haul fleet of Singapore Airlines.
This project responds to the ambition of Singapore Airlines to offer its passengers a range of innovative services for maximum connectivity and therefore an extensive gateway to the outside world while travelling aboard its aircraft. To do this, the company will provide its customers with the latest tools for accessing wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) and mobile telephony services. This technology provided by OnAir leverages Inmarsat SBB services.

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_singapore_business/view/1122484/1/.html
SIA suspends two of seven weekly Los Angeles flights
Posted: 13 April 2011 1203 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) will cut two of its seven weekly direct flights to Los Angeles next month due to weakening demand, the airline's spokesman told AFP Wednesday.

"We are temporarily reducing from seven to five," SIA spokesman Nicholas Ionides said, insisting the cuts were "about matching capacity to demand."

Ionides said that SIA was cancelling its Singapore-Los Angeles flights on Tuesday and Wednesday from May 3, adding that the two "tend to have less demand" compared with those for the rest of the week.

SIA uses the four-engine Airbus A345 aircraft for its non-stop flights to Los Angeles, which are wholly business-class.

When asked if rising oil prices were a factor in the flight reductions, Ionides said the specific decision to implement the cuts was taken solely in response to the "supply and demand situation."

However, he admitted that the airline was feeling the impact of fuel costs.

"Obviously fuel prices have affected all airlines and we are no exception," he said.

Crude prices on the key Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate indexes had scaled $100 a barrel in February and March respectively, and have breached two and a half year highs in recent weeks.

The International Energy Agency in its monthly report released Monday warned that if oil remained above $100 a barrel, there would be "real risks" to the global economic recovery.

-AFP/ac

Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Money/Story/STIStory_656320.html
Apr 13, 2011
Singapore Airlines ends wage cuts for employees over 60

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20110413/SIA.bb.jpg
SIA's move underscores rising wage pressures amid a tighter labour market in Singapore, at a time when the city-state is likely to see inflation hit 5-6 per cent in the coming months. -- PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

SINGAPORE - SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) , the world's second most valuable carrier by market capitalisation, has scrapped a practice of cutting salaries of employees by 10 per cent once they reach 60, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.

'We have rolled back the wage cuts at age 60 for all employees, effective April 1,' said a company spokesman.

SIA's move underscores rising wage pressures amid a tighter labour market in Singapore, at a time when the city-state is likely to see inflation hit 5-6 per cent in the coming months.

The company's decision also meets one of the key demands of its pilots union, Air Line Pilots Association (Singapore), which has been in disagreement with the company over salaries and employment terms for senior pilots close to retirement age. -- REUTERS

Source:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Singapore-Airlines-raises-apf-379088939.html?x=0&.v=1
Singapore Airlines raises fuel fee as crude jumps
Singapore Airlines raises fuel surcharge as crude prices surge

On Friday April 15, 2011, 5:59 am

SINGAPORE (AP) -- Singapore Airlines Ltd. says it will raise fuel surcharges for its flights after jet fuel prices increased more than 30 percent since the beginning of the year.

The airline said in a statement Friday that passengers issued tickets on or after April 21 will be charged up to an additional $32.

The airline said the new fee will partially offset higher operating costs from rising fuel prices.

The airline has increased fuel levies several times during the last year as crude oil jumped to above $110 a barrel this week from $70 last summer. It last raised its fuel surcharges by up to $26 per ticket on March 9.

Singapore Airlines is the world's second-largest carrier by market capitalization.

Source:http://ph.news.yahoo.com/singapore-airlines-cargo-adds-2-destinations-20110415-112540-687.html
Singapore Airlines Cargo adds 2 new destinations
MB – Sat, Apr 16, 2011 2:25 AM PHT

MANILA, Philippines - Singapore Airlines Cargo has added two destinations to its Asian network using Boeing 747 freighters.

The airline resumed Boeing 747-400 freighter operations to Kolkata in India after a two-year hiatus, and started serving a new destination, Penang in Malaysia.

The new freighter capacity will complement the 'bellyhold' space available from Singapore Airlines' daily passenger services between Singapore and Kolkata. (EHL)

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobylam/5621739355/

Source:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1377675/Airline-refused-divert-plane-passenger-heart-attack.html?ITO=1490
BBC radio presenter forced to endure 14-hour flight while having a heart attack after pilot 'refused to land'
By Mail On Sunday Reporter
Last updated at 12:31 AM on 17th April 2011

A BBC radio presenter who suffered a heart attack while flying home from covering the Japanese tsunami may take legal action against the airline after it refused to divert the jet to the nearest hospital.

Max Pearson had to endure the 14-hour Singapore Airlines flight in cardiac arrest and now, according to colleagues, has been left with long-term heart damage as a result.

The award-winning BBC World Service journalist had been reporting on the earthquake for a week. He later flew from Tokyo to Singapore, then boarded a connecting flight bound for London which landed on March 18.

Soon after the plane took off from Singapore, Mr Pearson, 51, suffered a heart attack. It is claimed cabin crew refused requests to reroute the plane so he could receive urgent medical attention.

Mr Pearson, a married father of two, was rushed by ambulance to Harefield Hospital as soon as the jet touched down at Heathrow and underwent emergency surgery which saved his life.

He was kept in hospital to recover for almost a week and has been off work for the past month.

Speaking from his £750,000 home near East Grinstead, West Sussex, where he is resting, Mr Pearson said: ‘I don’t want to talk about it yet. It’s a very delicate situation.’

A BBC source said: ‘It is lucky he managed to survive. It looks as if he was attended to by one of the passengers, who was a doctor, during the flight.

‘He says he asked for them to redirect him to hospital but it didn’t happen. After that it was touch-and-go whether he was going to make the 14-hour flight, but amazingly he did.

‘Max is still very poorly and is considering taking legal action against Singapore Airlines.’

A spokesman for the company refused to comment.

Source:http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110419-0000353/Flights-equipped-with-medical-kits,-staff-trained--SIA
Flights equipped with medical kits, staff trained: SIA
by Cheow Xin Yi
04:46 AM Apr 19, 2011

SINGAPORE - When an in-flight medical emergency strikes, Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilots will listen to the medical recommendation of its ground-based telemedical service provider MedAire, among other considerations, before deciding whether or not to divert a flight. It will also make a PA system request for medical assistance as a general standard procedure.

SIA spokesman Nicholas Ionides gave MediaCorp this "general overview" yesterday, without referring to any specific situation.

MediaCorp had reported on Sunday about a British newspaper article on SIA's decision last month to fly 14 hours to Heathrow Airport with a passenger who had suffered a heart attack. The Daily Mail had reported that 51-year-old BBC radio presenter Max Pearson was rushed to hospital upon touchdown but now has long-term heart damage.

While SIA has declined comment on individual cases, Mr Ionides said yesterday its aircraft are equipped with medical kits and automated external defibrillators, and its crew is trained in first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Where necessary, medical support will be arranged on the ground to be ready upon touchdown, he added.

However, a cardiologist MediaCorp spoke to said that a person having a heart attack usually "can't even wait for that one hour", and needs to be hospitalised "as soon as possible". "From the moment of a heart attack, patients can collapse straight or have chest pains and collapse the next moment ... You can't predict who's going to develop complications," said Associate Professor Tan Huay Cheem, director of the National University Heart Centre, Singapore. CHEOW XIN YI

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/61233488@N08/5631214136/

Continuing from my Air Canada trip to Hong Kong, here's my review on my Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore. I really wish they'd fly back to YVR - still, I'll definitely be flying this airline more often.

Singapore Airlines Trip Report: HKG-SIN Hong Kong-Singapore


http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k604/deasine/P1140999.jpg?t=1303555136

Flight: Singapore Airlines SQ871, HKG-SIN Hong Kong-Singapore
Date: March 13 2011 19:55
Duration: 3H 50M
Seat: 50A

Read the rest on on my travel blog at aTravel Journal (http://atraveljournal.tumblr.com/post/4877966835/singapore-airlines-trip-report-hkg-sin-hong)

Continuing from my Air Canada trip to Hong Kong, here's my review on my Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore. I really wish they'd fly back to YVR - still, I'll definitely be flying this airline more often.

Read the rest on on my travel blog at aTravel Journal (http://atraveljournal.tumblr.com/post/4877966835/singapore-airlines-trip-report-hkg-sin-hong)

Nice travel blog deasine.:cheers: Glad you enjoyed Singapore and SQ.:) Hope to read about your SG trip soon!!

Read the rest on on my travel blog at aTravel Journal (http://atraveljournal.tumblr.com/post/4877966835/singapore-airlines-trip-report-hkg-sin-hong)
Wonderful blog, Adrian! I share many of your interests. This is definitely bookmarked. :)

Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_662330.html
Apr 28, 2011
Singapore Airlines Cargo wins three awards
By Keshaya Yap

SINGAPORE Airlines Cargo is the 'Best Air Cargo Carrier-Asia' and 'Best Green Service Provider-Airline' in the annual Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards survey.

Readers of Cargo News Asia - a leading shipping, supply chain and cargo transport newspaper - voted it the winner.

This is the 15th and 3rd time respectively, that the airline has been voted the winner in these two categories.

Mr Tan Kai Ping, president of the airline, and who received the awards at the presentation held on Wednesday at the Shangri La Hotel in Singapore, said: 'We are proud to receive these awards on behalf of our staff who work hard to enhance the airline's commitment to quality service, and we acknowledge the unstinting support given to us by our loyal customers in a highly competitive market.

'We are also delighted that readers of Cargo News Asia recognise our commitment to make our operations and workplace more environmentally friendly. These awards are a welcome boost for all of us.'

The airline was also voted Cargo Airline of the Year-Asia Pacific - an award conferred by Air Cargo News - at the Cargo Airline of the Year Awards. The awards presentation was recently held at the Lancaster Hotel in London where Mr Simon Coomber, manager UK & Ireland, collected the award on behalf of the airline.

Source:http://sbr.com.sg/aviation/in-focus/delivery-boeing-787-9s-and-airbus-a350-900xwb-singapore-airlines-delayed
Delivery of Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A350-900XWB to Singapore Airlines delayed

EXCLUSIVE: The first batch of the 20 orders of Boeing 787 Dreamliner by the national airline of Singapore will no longer be expected this year as originally scheduled due to the manufacturer’s production technicalities. Deployment of the 20 Airbus A350-900 XWB aircrafts was likewise postponed to 2013 instead of next year, according to the management of Singapore Airlines (SIA).

“We remain in talks with Boeing on revisions to the delivery schedule for the B787-9s. We can confirm that our first 787 delivery will not be in 2011,” SIA Vice President for Public Affairs Nicholas Ionides told Singapore Business Review.

“The Airbus A350 XWB-900s, [meanwhile] of which SIA has 20 on firm order, are scheduled for delivery starting from FY2013/2014,” he added.

Boeing was supposed to rollout the first 787 in 2007 in the global market but had publicly admitted difficulties in completing the production process. The entry into service date, initially planned for 2010, was scheduled for early 2013.

Boeing 787-9s has a ‘stretched fuselage’ and will seat 250-290 passengers with a range of 8,000 to 8,500 nm (14,800 to 15,750 km). Like other previous variant, the Dreamliner brings the economics of large jet transports to the middle of the market, using 20 percent less fuel than any other airplanes of their size.

The delay of Airbus’ another aircraft variant A380 meanwhile put brakes on A350 XWB formal launch, supposedly from 2010 to 2012. As a result, delivery airlines which made orders of the extra-wide-bodied aircraft to Airbus was also delayed. The scheduled entry into service to Singapore was shifted to 2013 from 2012.

Airbus boasts that it brings together the very latest in aerodynamics, design and advanced technologies in the A350 XWB to provide a 25 per cent step-change in fuel efficiency compared to its current long-range competitor.

SIA’s upgrading of aircrafts is in line with its thrust to improve its productivity to remain at par with other international airlines.

“We pursue a long-term strategy of maintaining a young and modern fleet, to take advantage of the new technologies offered by manufacturers which offer greater fuel efficiency,” Mr. Ionides said.

Already, SIA is the first airline in the world to operate the Airbus A380, which offers the lowest fuel burn per seat mile of any aircraft currently available. SIA will operate the Airbus A380 superjumbo on the Singapore-Tokyo Narita-Los Angeles route from July 1, 2011.

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine airliner powered by a liquid fuel processed from gas, GTL (Gas to Liquids), under the company’s alternative fuel research programme. One engine was fuelled with a blend of 40% GTL and standard jet fuel, the other three with standard fuel.

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1125934/1/.html

SIA founding chairman receives accolade at Aerospace Awards
By Millet Enriquez | Posted: 30 April 2011 1845 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines' founding chairman Mr J Y Pillay received a citation for his invaluable contribution to Singapore's aviation industry at the Singapore Aerospace Awards Friday evening.

"Mr Pillay's exceptional leadership and foresight had transformed our national carrier - Singapore Airlines - from a fledgling carrier to a world class airline, recognised for its innovation, product quality, and technological prowess," said Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Transport in his opening address during the gala event.

Mr Pillay, who is also the chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisors, joins other top honorees among 17 nominees in the industry awards, where close to 50 applications were submitted for the prizes.

The companies vied for six awards, which include categories like industry excellence; leadership; workplace safety and health; human capital leadership and innovation and productivity.

Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) (AAIS) President Charles Chong said he is encouraged that more companies in the industry "are making the achievement of excellence a cornerstone of their business operations. I am confident that the high standards set at the SAA will become benchmarks that other industries would also want to follow."

Established in 2009, the awards recognize companies' invaluable achievement in advancing the local aerospace industry.

The aerospace industry is said to have registered a record output of S$7.2 billion in revenue in 2010.

In the past 20 years, the industry has grown at a compounded annual rate of 12 per cent.

- CNA/cc

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeteh/5684788295/

Source:http://www.businesstraveller.com/asia-pacific/news/singapore-airlines-introduces-e-magazines-onboard
Singapore Airlines introduces e-Magazines onboard
Originally published on asia.businesstraveller.com 09/05/2011 - Filed under: News »

Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be offering passengers e-Magazines, electronic versions of international publications, on selected inflight entertainment systems.

The new feature, rolled out this month across the carrier’s fleet of Airbus A380 and Boeing B777-300ER, will consist of 20 titles, including The Economist, Bloomberg Businessweek, Wall Street Journal Magazine, Prestige and Elle Magazine.

The innovation follows the successful trial of electronic versions of the carrier’s own inflight magazines, such as KrisWorld and SilverKris, which were implemented in July 2010. Eventually, the feature will be expanded to cover more titles as well as e-newspapers and e-books, and will progressively be implemented on the A330-300 and A340-500 aircraft.

This new development reflects SIA's continuous efforts to keep its onboard services ahead of the curve. In March, the carrier also implemented a news ticker service on its B777-300ER aircraft IFE systems, providing passengers the latest headlines from Channel NewsAsia and Agence France-Presse (AFP). This feature, like the e-Magazines, will also eventually be rolled out across all aircraft.

For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com

Alisha Haridasani

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1128002/1/.html
SIA Engineering posts full-year net profit of S$258.5m
By Amanda Feng | Posted: 10 May 2011 2207 hrs

SINGAPORE : Mainboard-listed Singapore Airlines Engineering has posted a full-year net profit of S$258.5 million.

This is an increase of 9.5 per cent over the previous financial year.

Revenue of S$1.1 billion for the 12-month period ended March 31 was up 10 per cent.

SIA Engineering said it is due to the growth coming from airframe and component overhaul, fleet management programme and line maintenance.

The company also said that demand for the company's core businesses, including airframe and fleet management, is expected to be sustained.

It added that its broad range of services, diversified operations and continuing drive to deliver outstanding quality remain its key strengths.

- CNA/ms

Source:http://ca.news.yahoo.com/profits-soar-singapore-airlines-003313538.html
Profits soar at Singapore Airlines
By Roslan Rahman | AFP News – Wed, 11 May, 2011

Singapore Airlines (SIA) rebounded strongly from the global recession, reporting Thursday its full-year net profit soared in 2010-11 as travel demand recovered.

The carrier said it earned Sg$1.09 billion ($876 million) in the financial year ended March 31, up fivefold from Sg$216 million a year ago while revenues rose 14 percent to Sg$14.5 billion.

But the airline cautioned that the near-term is expected to be difficult due to surging oil prices, concerns over the US economy, the impact from Japan's quake-tsunami disasters and worries over Europe's sovereign debt crisis.

For the fourth quarter ended March, SIA's net profit came in at Sg$171 million, down 38.5 percent from a year ago, largely due to higher fuel expenditures.

A Dow Jones Newswires poll of analysts forecast the carrier's fourth quarter net profit would rise five percent to Sg$292 million on improved traffic and demand from premium travellers.

"The year ahead is expected to be challenging for the airline industry," SIA said.

"These effects are reflected in forward bookings, indicating near term weakness in load factors," it said.

SIA said escalating jet fuel cost, which has surged by over 25 percent to $140 a barrel in the past few months, was also another cause for concern and that management would take steps to adjust to the situation.

"While there has been some respite in the past week, jet fuel prices are likely to remain high and volatile in the near term," SIA said.

SIA has imposed a fuel surcharge on tickets to mitigate the impact of soaring oil prices but the airline still expects fuel cost, its biggest expense item, to be the biggest challenge.

The carrier, regarded as a bellwether of the airline industry, said fuel cost excluding hedging spiked 24 percent or Sg$877 million during the financial year.

"The twin challenges of near-term weakness in load factors and high fuel prices will adversely affect operating performance of airlines," it said.

"The company will be vigilant in cost management and closely monitor patterns of demand and adjust capacity accordingly."

SIA said it also set aside Sg$202 million during the previous financial year in provisions for antitrust fines imposed by the US, the European Union and South Korea on its cargo arm.

Shukor Yusof, an aviation analyst with Standard and Poor's Equity Research, described SIA's fourth quarter earnings as a "decent set of numbers", taking into account the high fuel prices and travel to Japan being affected by the quake and tsunami disasters.

But Shukor said SIA is facing more intense competition from Middle East and some Asian carriers as well as from budget airlines.

"I think SIA needs to re-evaluate its business strategy for the near- to mid-term. They need to position themselves as not just another good premium carrier but to reinstate themselves as the best in the market," he told AFP.

Singapore Airlines - Fleet Information - May 2008

http://myaviation.net/photos/big/3/2/4/01374423.jpg (http://myaviation.net/?pid=01374423)

Singapore Airlines - Fleet Information - September 2009


http://myaviation.net/photos/big/4/3/3/01693334.jpg (http://myaviation.net/?pid=01693334)

Singapore Airlines - Fleet Information - April 2010


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Singapore Airlines - Fleet Information - March 2011


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Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1128751/1/.html
SIA says high oil prices will be major challenge
By Millet Enriquez | Posted: 13 May 2011 2338 hrs

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines says oil prices, which have soared more than 25 percent since January, will likely stay high and volatile in the near term.

It says this and the weakness in passenger load are two major challenges that the carrier will face going forward.

The surge in oil prices has dampened SIA's fourth quarter performance, with fuel prices taking up 36.8 percent of total expenditure.

All in, the carrier chalked up a total of S$3.8 billion in fuel bill with around S$268 million spent in the last quarter alone.

SIA says fuel prices may likely hit US$140 per barrel by April from US$119 per barrel in the fourth quarter.

The carrier plans to strengthen its fleet with more fuel-efficient planes and is investing up to S$2.1 billion on these for financial year 2011 to 2012.

Meanwhile, passenger load, which was impacted by the crises in Japan and New Zealand are likely to stay weak.

SIA has since adjusted its capacity by reducing flights and frequencies to Japan, in particular.

Analysts say SIA remains a defensive stock amongst Asian airlines and they see a healthy outlook for the stock.

So far, SIA shares have bucked expectations and rose 2.80 percent to close at S$14.66 on Friday.

And despite its challenging outlook ahead, SIA has announced a total dividend payout of S$1.40 for FY2011.

Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, said: "We do a very thorough review of our net cash requirements and also factoring in whatever, not just capital expenditure but also potential future scenarios where we might require a lot of cash if things are to deteriorate very rapidly.

The cash has accumulated over time and reached over $7.4 billion or so. So having done the thorough review, we feel that it's quite comfortable for the company to actually give back this amount to the shareholders in a special dividend.

And we don't see any danger of the company ever running short of cash because of this. Rest assured that we don't do things that are reckless or do things that weaken our balance sheet unnecessarily."

- CNA/ch

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1129241/1/.html
SIA fills 74.6% of available seats in April
Posted: 16 May 2011 2027 hrs

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines (SIA) filled 74.6 per cent of its available seats in April, a decline of 3 percentage points compared to the previous year.

However, the number of passengers carried increased by 6.3 per cent to 1.4 million as the carrier increased capacity.

At the end of March, the airline launched services to Sao Paulo via Barcelona.

Capacity was also increased to several of SIA's existing destinations, including Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Male and Taipei.

Loads for the East Asian region, however, declined. SIA said this was partly due to weaker demand on Japan routes in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami.

Cargo capacity increased by 10.3 per cent, while overall cargo traffic improved by 11.8 per cent. This led to a 0.9 percentage point improvement in cargo load factor (CLF).

The airlines said CLF improved most in the Southwest Pacific.

- CNA/al

FULL LENGTH OF THE MAKING OF SINGAPORE AIRLINES CAMPAIGN(ACROSS THE WORLD WITH THE SINGAPORE GIRL 2011 COMMERCIAL)
xRArB_z9uYc

Singapore Airlines to fly all-business class upper deck A380?

By David Flynn (http://www.ausbt.com.au/singapore-airlines-to-boost-business-class-seats-by-40-in-a380)

copyright: Australian Business Traveller

Airline booking systems are now reporting that the first of Singapore Airlines' new Airbus A380s with an extended business class cabin running the entire length of the upper deck, will be introduced on the Sydney-Singapore SQ221/212 service on June 20th (out of Singapore). Read our report on the new aircraft and configuration for full details.

Previous: In another sign of growth for the business travel market, Singapore Airlines is said to be extending the business class cabin on its Airbus A380 fleet to run the entire length of the upper deck.

A revised floorplan for all of Singapore Airlines' new A380 deliveries – beginning with the May 2011 arrival of SQ’s 12th superjumbo and followed by the other eight on firm order – is believed to sport the new configuration, which increases the business class seating on its Airbus A380 fleet by 40%.

The current layout splits the upper deck between 16 rows of business class and 11 rows of economy at the rear.

If rumours of the new configuration are correct, the new A380 seating chart will see the economy seating removed in favour of six more rows of lie-flat business class seating. This would deliver around 24 of Singapore's generous business class seats, which have 55 inches of legroom and a 34 inch seat width, representing a 40% boost to the current 60 premium seats.

Economy would be pared back to the downstairs-only allocation of 31 rows (although even these have a decent 32 inches of legroom).

Of course, the front of the lower deck would still house the twelve luxurious first suites, the middle four of which can be converted into a pair of double suites.

Singapore Airlines is playing coy on the rumours but pointedly did not refute the plans when approached by Australian Business Traveller, and admitted "it is possible that we may have a different configuration for some of the aircraft."

"But as of now we don't have any specific detail" a spokesperson for the carrier told Australian Business Traveller. "We don't comment on speculation, and specifically with regards to aircraft configuration, for reasons of confidentiality."

Should the new seating plan prove correct it will be a win for SQ in terms of revenue and putting business class bums on seats, but a loss for savvy economy class passengers who know the upstairs section has a quieter and more cosy feel than the packed lower deck, as well as that great double-decker view.

The upper-deck economy cabin also permits easier aisle access due to the use of a 2-4-2 seating configuration, whereas downstairs it’s a 3-4-3 rack.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES new website:http://www.singaporeair.com/SAA-flow.form?execution=e3s1

hi there. what kind of 777 does singapore airlines fly on the sing-syd-sing route? is it a 777-200 or a 777-200er or a 777-300er?

hi there. what kind of 777 does singapore airlines fly on the sing-syd-sing route? is it a 777-200 or a 777-200er or a 777-300er?

SQ's -200s are just derated -200ERs. At the moment SYD is served by the 388s and 772s. wef 15JUN11 SQ211/232 will swap to the retrofitted SY*.

SQ211/232 (Retrofitted SQ*/SR*)
SQ241/242 (SV*)

SQ's -200s are just derated -200ERs. At the moment SYD is served by the 388s and 772s. wef 15JUN11 SQ211/232 will swap to the retrofitted SY*.

SQ211/232 (Retrofitted SQ*/SR*)
SQ241/242 (SV*)

thanks.

the reason im asking is i am flying to syd from sing on dec 5 on the 388 and from syd to sing on dec 13 on the 772.

Just finished my second leg Singapore Airlines Trip Report. Enjoy!
http://atraveljournal.tumblr.com/post/5809241602/singapore-airlines-trip-report-sin-pek

Source:http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/387825/singapore_airlines_customers_vent_over_website_crash/?uts_source=taxonomyfeed&utm_medium=rss
Singapore Airlines customers vent over website crash
Passengers revert to phone bookings after system crashes
Hamish Barwick (Computerworld)
25 May, 2011 10:58

Asia Pacific carrier Singapore Airlines is facing a barrage of complaints after problems with its new website have emerged.

According to posts on airline forum website, Flyertalk, the problems began on 19 May after Singapore Airlines rolled out what it called an improved website with a single payment system and interface to create itineraries.

However, passengers wanting to check in online since than have been unable to after personal details entered into the system disappeared and members of its frequent flyer club Krisflyer who had saved reservation and passport numbers also found all their details had disappeared.

One forum user wrote that it was “unbelievable” that a premium carrier like Singapore Airlines could "launch a website so full of bugs and depend on their customers like us to be their beta testers".

An Australian customer told Computerworld Australia that he had resorted to phoning the customer call centre. “The call centre is getting so many flight bookings that it’s starting to annoy them,” he said.

A statement from Singapore Airlines said that it was currently experiencing technical difficulties on singaporeair.com, and was working to rectify the problem.

“You may wish to contact your local Singapore Airlines office should you require urgent assistance,” read the statement. “Your understanding is much appreciated, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Just finished my second leg Singapore Airlines Trip Report. Enjoy!
http://atraveljournal.tumblr.com/post/5809241602/singapore-airlines-trip-report-sin-pek

Nice blog!:cheers: Do tell me when you update it the next time:)

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1131133/1/.html
SIA to set up new no-frills airline
By Timothy Ouyang | Posted: 25 May 2011 1737 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines has announced its intention to establish a new no-frills, low-fare airline which will operate wide-body aircraft on medium and long-haul routes.

It said the new airline is being established following extensive review and analysis.

SIA joins a growing number of low-cost carriers, such as Singapore-based Jetstar Asia and Malaysia's AirAsia, in introducing low-fare flights to medium and long-haul routes.

Such routes are typically to destinations further than five hours' flight from Singapore.

SIA said it will enable the group to serve a largely untapped new market and cater to the growing demand among consumers for low-fare travel. Operations are expected to begin within one year.

The airline will be wholly-owned by Singapore Airlines, but will be operated independently and managed separately.

SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said there is a new market segment being created and this will provide another growth opportunity for the group.

He said: "As we have observed on short-haul routes within Asia, low-fare airlines help stimulate demand for travel, and we expect this will also prove true for longer flights."

No further details were given as to whether the group plans to purchase new aircraft or use the existing ones in its fleet.

A new management team is expected to be set up for the new airline.

More details will be announced by the management team in due course, including its branding, products and services, and route network.

-CNA/ac

i am excited about my trip this coming December.

my itinerary is:

dec 5 MI 588 Davao to Singapore (terminal 2)
dec 5 SQ 221 Singapore to Sydney (terminal 3)
dec 13 SQ 242 Sydney to Singapore (terminal 3)
dec 14 MI 588 Singapore to Davao (terminal 2)

question:

how do i get to changi terminal 3 from changi terminal 2? i dont have to carry any luggages between both terminals because my luggages will be checked through to the final destination.

^^you can take the skytrain from t2 to t3:) hope you enjoy your trip:)

Singapore Airlines Fleet Information - October 2007

http://myaviation.net/photos/big/5/9/7/01222795.jpg (http://myaviation.net/?pid=01222795)

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1131413/1/.html
SIA no-frills airline plan 'good move'
By Stella Lee | Posted: 26 May 2011 2215 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines' (SIA) plan to establish a wholly-owned low-fare airline for medium- and long-haul routes has generally been seen by the market a positive move.

Analysts said they believe the airline has the financial muscle and the operational expertise to successfully operate a low-cost carrier.

Other industry observers also said structural changes in the airline industry will make the low-cost carrier model a more common one.

DBS Vickers equity research vice-president Paul Yong said: "We don't expect cannibalisation to be direct because the price differential between the two product offerings is quite different.

"SIA has clearly announced that this new venture will be managed and branded independently of their current product so we don't think there'll be a dilution impact from this move, but of course, they have to be very careful.

"We imagine it to be a Toyota Lexus sort of situation where the two brands are seen to be very separate by the consumers".

Analysts said the move by many airlines into the low-cost carrier (LCC) segment simply reflects the structural changes caused by the increased profitability of LCCs.

SIA's move is simply part of a trend as intra-Asia travel grows.

Standard & Poor's aviation analyst Shukor Yusof said: "I think that low-cost segment is the way to go forward; it's not a trend or fad anymore; it's here to stay.

"So, SIA going into this segment is not a downgrade of their business -- it's just being pragmatic.

"That's one reason Thai Airways, for example, is looking at establishing a new low-cost carrier. All Nippon Airways has also started low-cost carriers".

The Asian market for low-cost carriers is currently less developed than in Europe and the US.

Industry observers said this presents an opportunity for LCCs to expand because of growing leisure travel to under-served locations in Asia.

-CNA/wk

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/5794372111_cdedfec6b1_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cleveleysflyer/5794372111/

Source:http://uk.news.yahoo.com/singapore-airlines-says-open-offers-virgin-stake-063426612.html
Singapore Airlines open to offers for Virgin stake
By Harry Suhartono | Reuters – Mon, Jun 6, 2011

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines said on Monday it is open to any offers for its 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic, but would not comment if any bidders have approached the airline.

"I think we have been quite open. We have stated that we are open if somebody is interested in the 49 percent stake in Virgin," said Goh Choon Phong. chief executive of Singapore Airlines (SIA). "They can make an offer and we will evaluate it and we will make decision based on that."

Singapore Airlines bought a 49 percent of Virgin Atlantic for 600.25 million pounds ($990 million) in 1999.

Shukor Yusof, a Singapore-based airline analyst for Standard and Poors, said buyers might find Virgin Atlantic's geographical footprint challenging because most of its routes are trans-Atlantic while most of the industry's growth is now coming from Asia.

SIA's Goh also said the company is also not opposed to mergers and acquisition possibilities and would look at future opportunities.

Virgin Atlantic's founder, Richard Branson, has reportedly said that his airline needed a partner to remain competitive.

Virgin Atlantic may need to merge with a rival or join an airline alliance to survive the competition created by the advent of cross-border super carriers.

($1 = 0.606 British Pounds)

(Reporting by Harry Suhartono; Editing by Matt Driskill)

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1133649/1/.html
SIA and Virgin Australia unveil long-term partnership
By Jonathan Peeris & Travis Teo | Posted: 07 June 2011 0807 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia group of airlines have signed a landmark agreement which will enable them to establish a long-term alliance.

The partnership was announced on the sidelines of a global aviation industry conference in Singapore.

Under the agreement, the two airlines propose to code-share on each other's international and domestic flights and offer reciprocal frequent flyer programme benefits and lounge access.

They will also co-ordinate schedules between Singapore and Australia and beyond to provide seamless connections and engage in joint sales, marketing and distribution activities.

The alliance will also connect Singapore Airlines' extensive international network with Virgin Australia's wide range of Australian and Pacific destinations.

Through the Singapore Airlines network, Virgin Australia customers will have access to some 70 more destinations, while through the Virgin Australia network Singapore Airlines customers will have access to some 30 more destinations.

"We do believe this will encourage a lot more connectivity and traffic and certainly, we expect that it will lead to more operations to Australia as we build up the traffic and provide that greater convenience," said Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong.

Members of Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem miles on Virgin Australia flights, while Virgin Australia's Velocity members will be able to earn and redeem miles on Singapore Airlines-operated flights.

The two airlines will lodge an application with the relevant regulatory authorities to enable them to co-operate across a broad range of commercial functions. Approval will allow the airlines to build a deep and integrated alliance with seamless service offerings to the travelling public.

Mr Goh said the partnership presents a significant opportunity for Singapore Airlines to drive growth as well as enhance the attractiveness of Australia as a travel destination.

Virgin Australia group chief executive John Borghetti said: "Asia is clearly a critical market for us as we build our international alliance network,

"Singapore Airlines' extensive network throughout Asia will be particularly attractive to our international business and leisure travellers."

As part of the announcement, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia have agreed that from August 1, SIA customers will be able to interline on Virgin Australia's domestic network, allowing them to travel through to a range of destinations with just one ticket, through-checked baggage, terminal transfers and inclusive of meals.

Virgin Australia Velocity Gold members and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold members will have reciprocal access to each airline's airport lounges. Subject to approval from the authorities, customers should be able to experience the full benefits of the alliance from late this year.

The deal has one notable exclusion -- the lucrative trans-Pacific routes from Australia to the US West Coast that Singapore Airlines (SIA) has so far been denied by the Australian government.

But both airlines were confident the alliance would boost their revenues significantly.

Mr Goh said: "I think at the immediate front, we are really focusing on making this particular alliance work...if it gets the approval, there is a lot we can do, in terms of joint marketing, joint sales, joint FFP (Frequent Flyer Programme) and also, the networking connectivity.

"But we, of course, will continue in principle, to want to have the liberalisation in other parts of the Australian routes, so we will concurrently pursue that."

Analysts have said that SIA's latest move will provide a boost to its trans-Pacific bid, which it continues to pursue.

Julius Yeo, an aviation analyst with Frost and Sullivan, said: "I see this initiative as a staggered approach for SIA, (towards) getting to fly the trans-Pacific route which was a door-close for SIA."

Industry observers said SIA is pursuing its long term growth strategy through the new alliance - and its plans to launch a new low cost carrier.

They agree this is a good move by the flag carrier to tap the domestic Australian market, which is seeing rising demand on a stronger Australian dollar.

Paul Ng, Partner and Global Head of Aviation with Stephenson Harwood, said: "You can expand by acquisitions, or you can expand by alliances. And obviously, alliances is a less risky and painful approach and I think that's what Singapore Airlines is adopting here.

"By joining with Virgin Australia, who again is not an unknown bed-fellow, Singapore Airlines owns 49 per cent of Virgin Atlantic after all, and I would think this is quite a prudent move seeing that Virgin Australia is the second largest carrier in Australia."

Analysts add that SIA's new CEO, who took over in January, is searching for new streams of revenue.

Mr Ng said: "Learning from the successes of the budget carriers, it is prudent for a carrier that has good market position and good premium brand like SQ at this time to look at opportunities outside its usual business strategies.

"And with a new man at the helm, it would seem that the new CEO is sort of game to try new strategies, in relation to a carrier that has been traditionally quite conservative."

Going forward, observers expect a ramp up in such partnerships, after Virgin Australia signed similar deals with Delta Air Lines and Air New Zealand recently. They point to a similar code-share agreement that Cathay Pacific has with American Airlines.

- CNA/cc/ac

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2126/5811716282_57535b40c5_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfh40/5811716282/

source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1134197/1/.html
SilkAir joins SIA to offer combined daily flights to Kolkata
Posted: 09 June 2011 1603 hrs

SINGAPORE : The regional wing of Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, will begin services to Kolkata four times a week, starting from August 1.

Together with Singapore Airlines' three weekly flights to the Indian city, both airlines will operate a total of seven round-trip services per week.

SIA's flights will be on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, while SilkAir will operate its flights on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, the airlines said in a joint statement.

The flights are subject to governmental approvals, with schedules subject to slot availability.

Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, is the main business, commercial and financial hub of east India.

"With the launch of SilkAir's services to Kolkata, we will together be operating daily flights, providing our customers even more choices and convenience," said Tan Chik Quee, Singapore Airlines' senior vice president of marketing.

SilkAir said Kolkata also serves as a base for many multi-national companies.

Its chief executive, Marvin Tan, added: "SilkAir looks forward to serving both leisure and business travellers alike on the Singapore-Kolkata route from August 1, complementing the services already offered by our parent company, Singapore Airlines.

"Additionally, we're offering customers convenient onward connections to more than 90 cities in the joint Singapore Airlines–SilkAir network."

- CNA/al

Airbus 380 - Upper Deck

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/4039/dsc0315lr.jpg

Airbus 380 - Main Deck

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9603/86248144.jpg

Boeing 777-212/ER

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7364/img6423v.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8477/dsc0486d.jpg

Boeing 777-312

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8223/img1089y.jpg

Boeing 777-312/ER

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/1433/66108170.jpg

Boeing 747-412

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4747/img6630o.jpg

Source:http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/sq-girls-allowed-sleep-passenger-areas-051422125.html
Should an SIA Girl sleep among passenger seats?
By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene – 7 hours ago

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/LM30Pi9FFoq5sAHD4ihIWQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTQwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/249/2011/06/14/500blog-sqgirls_070458.jpg
A traveller was surprised to see SQ flight attendants resting in the passenger area. (Yahoo! photo)

Have you come across an SIA (Singapore Airlines) girl sleeping beside you on a long-haul flight? If you have, you weren't dreaming, because she was probably taking a break.

That was what one traveller, who wanted to be known as Tan, found out after he saw some Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight attendants resting in the last few rows of the economy-class seats on his flight back to Singapore from Christchurch, New Zealand

"I was on a long flight back, about nine hours, and I was amazed to see the stewardesses on the flight take their rest among the passengers.

"Despite this, some passengers kept asking them for drinks even though they were clearly on their break," Tan told The New Paper.

He also questioned why the crew was not given a private rest area away from the view of other passengers.

It is understood that there are no bunks for in-flight crew onboard some SIA flights to and from Christchurch and Auckland as the aircraft used for the flights -- a variant of the Boeing 777 -- do not come with crew bunks. That has been the situation since last July.

SIA spokesman Nicholas Ionides said the absence of bunks on these flights was in line with guidelines set by the Air Operator Certificate Requirements. It states that rest is only mandatory for cabin crew members who are on duty for 14 hours or more.

"Notwithstanding that, we set aside a block of economy-class seats on medium-haul flights on the particular aircraft type for our crew to rest during breaks," added Ionides.

On such flights, six economy-class seats are set aside for the crew members to rest. On average, SIA has 14 to 15 cabin crew members and three cockpit on a flight.

However, the airline did not comment on why crew bunks were no longer provided for those working that particular route.

Meanwhile, image consultant Elaine Heng said that the sight of the crew sleeping could adversely impact the airline's branding and image.

"The crew represents the airline. They're expected to be well groomed and professional, but you can't do that when told to sleep and rest in full view of the passengers," she added.

Flight attendants who spoke to the same paper said that such situations create an awkward environment between crew and passengers. One crew said the rest seats are marked only by a red sticker.

"Most times, passengers don't even know what the red stickers mean and some passengers get annoyed when we tell them those seats are meant for cabin crew use," he said.

Another flight attendant lamented that because they are resting in the cabin, passengers would still approach them for service.

"I rest very little during these flights, which is exhausting, considering the journey to Auckland is nearly 10 hours," she said.

One brand consultant, who declined to be named, said the response from the flight attendants reflect the need for private rest facilities.

Passengers may not know the attendants are on their breaks, and this could lead to the perception that flight attendants are sleeping on the job.

Regular SIA passenger Dexter Ng, 23, told Yahoo! Singapore the crew should not be blamed in this case.

"From a humane point of view, it is understandable for them to rest because it can get pretty exhausting.

"But it is up to the management to provide them a private resting area because it will create an impression that the flight attendants are unprofessional," he said.

What's the big deal about it? I've seen it on a Cathay flight. The flight was largely empty and I saw stewardess sleeping in the middle row (raised the armrests to make a bed).

What's the big deal about it? I've seen it on a Cathay flight. The flight was largely empty and I saw stewardess sleeping in the middle row (raised the armrests to make a bed).
It's all about "face".

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1135315/1/.html
SIA's overall load factor dips to 67.5% in May
By Jonathan Peeris | Posted: 15 June 2011 1931 hrs

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines (SIA) on Wednesday said it filled 67.5 per cent of the space available on its planes for passengers and cargo in May.

The figure is slightly lower than the 69.1 per cent achieved in May 2010.

Its passenger load factor dipped by 1.2 percentage points to 73.6 per cent last month.

SIA said capacity grew by 6 per cent in May, against a 4.3 per cent increase in systemwide passenger carriage.

Passenger load factors for all regions rose compared to the same month last year, except for East Asia and the Americas.

SIA said travel sentiment to East Asia, in particular Japan, continued to be affected.

Despite growth in passenger carriage, load factors for the Americas region dipped 3.1 percentage points as the increase in traffic still lagged the rate of capacity expansion.

In addition, SIA's cargo load factor fell slightly by 1.9 percentage points to 64.7 per cent.

The carrier noted that the cargo load factors declined for all route regions except for the South West Pacific.

SIA said significant capacity injection and stiff market competition resulted in the weaker load factor.

- CNA/ms

Source:http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/travel/travel-news/virgin-to-ditch-malaysia-airlines-relationship-for-singapore-airlines-20110628-1gorq.html
Virgin to ditch Malaysia Airlines relationship for Singapore Airlines
June 28, 2011 - 4:32PM

Virgin Australia will seek to end its relationship with Malaysia Airlines (MAS) as it pursues a partnership with aviation powerhouse Singapore Airlines (SIA).

Virgin and SIA have lodged an application with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to form their alliance.

The pair wants ACCC approval to codeshare and cooperate on pricing, scheduling, marketing and sales on Australia-Singapore services and international and domestic connecting flights.

They also plan to bid for corporate and government travel contracts, and offer reciprocal benefits to members of their respective frequent flyer programs including lounge access and the ability to earn and burn points.

Virgin and SIA said they were looking at new routes, but specific city pairs were blanked out in the public version of their application.

They also said they would look at adding additional capacity and using larger aircraft on between Australia and Singapore.

The application also confirmed Virgin was looking to wind up its reciprocal frequent flyer and interline arrangements with the Kuala Lumpur-based MAS.

MAS announced earlier this month it would join the oneworld airline alliance and seek closer cooperation with national flag carrier Qantas Airways.

"Therefore there is no prospect of a broader relationship with Malaysia Airlines," the application said.

"As a result of both the proposed alliance and Malaysia Airlines' decision to join oneworld, both parties will discuss termination of their existing relationship."

Virgin and SIA said they would spend money improving IT, booking and check-in systems, and on product alignment and marketing.

They have asked for approval for an initial 10-year term to "ensure adequate time to achieve a return on that investment".

Virgin said the tie-up with Singapore Airlines complemented the airline group's partnership with Etihad Airways and other tie-ups chief executive John Borghetti has assembled to build a network of global destinations without spending hundreds of millions on new aircraft.

"For commercial reasons, Virgin Australia does not intend to codeshare on Singapore Airlines routes where it has codeshare coverage with Etihad," the application said.

This arrangement would extend to the Brisbane-Singapore-Abu Dhabi service, which Virgin was due to start flying from February 2012 and currently operated three times a week by Etihad.

"While the alliance will provide Virgin Australia with the ability to codeshare on Singapore Airlines services between Brisbane and Singapore, Virgin Australia has an existing codeshare with Etihad on this route," it said.

"Virgin Australia does not intend to codeshare with both airlines on this route."

SIA has 92 return services a week between Singapore and Australia.

AAP

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1137891/1/.html
SIA leases another 15 Airbus planes for Asia, Mideast routes
By Jonathan Peeris | Posted: 29 June 2011 1842 hrs

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it will lease another 15 A330-300 aircraft from European plane maker Airbus, providing additional growth opportunities to the airline.

Under the terms of the agreement, the aircraft will be delivered new from Airbus' production line between 2013 and 2015.

They will be operated by SIA on routes within Asia as well as to points in Australia and the Middle East.

The planes will be leased for a minimum of six years, with an option to extend the lease term, and will join 19 similar aircraft already in service.

SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said the planes will add more capacity on regional and medium range routes, and further strengthen SIA's network offering.

Goh added that the new planes will also provide enhanced levels of comfort to SIA customers and boost operational efficiency.

The new aircraft will be configured in a two-class layout, offering Business and Economy class.

The Business Class cabin features a new seat specially designed for regional and medium-range routes, in a 2-2-2 configuration, with seats that convert into an incline lie-flat bed.

Meanwhile, the Economy Class cabin is laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration, featuring a new-generation seat which is also available on the Airline's Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft.

SIA said the seats are ergonomically designed to provide customers an unsurpassed level of comfort, with more personal space and increased leg room.

- CNA /ls

Source:http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1107/S00081/singapore-airlines-a380-now-flying-to-los-angeles.htm
Singapore Airlines A380 – Now Flying To Los Angeles
Monday, 4 July 2011, 12:30 pm
Press Release: Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines A380 – Now Flying To Los Angeles

The Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 is now serving Los Angeles. The inaugural Singapore – Narita – Los Angeles A380 flight departed Singapore on 1 July with nearly 400 customers on board.

The superjumbo, operating as flight SQ12, has made the City of Angels the eighth destination in Singapore Airlines’ network, and its first point in North America, to receive the world’s largest commercial aircraft.

The Singapore Airlines A380 has proven exceptionally popular with customers, with strong loads on all routes it serves. System-wide, more than 5 million customers have flown on Singapore Airlines’ A380s since the inaugural flight of the superjumbo in October 2007.

“The introduction of the A380 to Los Angeles is another wonderful milestone in our history. We have had the privilege of serving customers on this route since 1980 and we are proud to be able to introduce our flagship aircraft to North America. We are confident that our customers will appreciate the industry-leading cabin products available on the A380,” said Mr Mak Swee Wah, Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice President Commercial.

Singapore Airlines was the first carrier to operate the A380 in October 2007. Since the start of commercial service, the aircraft have clocked around 128,000 flying hours on more than 13,000 flights. The airline currently has 12 A380s in service and seven more on firm order.

The Singapore Airlines A380 features the new Singapore Airlines Suites, where each suite is the customer’s very own private cabin in the sky, replete with a luxurious and fully adjustable leather seat upholstered by world-renowned Poltrona Frau, as well as a full-sized bed and a sleek 23-inch high-resolution LCD monitor.

It is also configured with the new award-winning full-flat Business Class seat, the widest in its class at 34 inches, in a spacious 1-2-1 configuration. The new Economy Class seat also delivers more comfort and legroom thanks to the use of innovative design features.

Customers can unwind in the comfort of their seats, enjoying the epicurean delights specially created by the world-renowned chefs on our International Culinary Panel, while taking in the more than 1,000 entertainment choices available on the new KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines’ state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1140691/1/.html
SilkAir to fly to Koh Samui
Posted: 13 July 2011 2018 hrs

SINGAPORE : SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, said on Wednesday it will begin flights to Koh Samui, Thailand from September 27.

Koh Samui will be SilkAir's third destination in Thailand, after Phuket and Chiang Mai.

The new services will be operated with the Airbus 319 aircraft, and scheduled three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Bangkok Airways will be the codeshare partner on these flights, according to a joint statement by SilkAir and Bangkok Airways.

SilkAir will also codeshare on Bangkok Airways' daily evening services between Singapore and Koh Samui, providing customers with more flight options.

Currently, Bangkok Airways operates a daily non-stop service on this route.

SilkAir's chief executive Marvin Tan said: "Our codeshare arrangement with Bangkok Airways will enhance the connectivity between Singapore and Koh Samui and offer our customers more convenient connections and flexibility when planning their holidays."

Peter Wiesner, Bangkok Airways' senior vice president for network management, said: "By having a codeshare arrangement on the Singapore-Koh Samui route, it actually allows us to drive more traffic into Koh Samui.

"We are planning on capturing traffic from Singapore as well as through traffic from long-haul routes connecting from a major aviation hub like Singapore Changi International Airport."

In addition to the Singapore-Koh Samui route, Bangkok Airways also codeshares on SilkAir's Singapore-Chiang Mai and Singapore-Phuket routes, while SilkAir will codeshare on Bangkok Airways' Bangkok-Koh Samui, Phuket-Koh Samui and Chiang Mai-Koh Samui routes.

- CNA/al

Source:http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/sia-chief-says-sorry-website-glitches-102138577.html
SIA chief says sorry for new website’s glitches
By liyana | SingaporeScene – 4 hours ago

Singapore Airlines (SIA) chief executive officer Goh Choon Phong has apologised for the glitches on the company's new website, which has sparked many complaints among users.

In a message to customers on Thursday, Goh acknowledged that the new site, which was launched on 22 May, has caused inconvenience to many passengers.
Cases of timeouts, credit card rejections and seating system glitches have been reported, and some customers had to resort to booking by phone to buy their tickets instead.

"I am truly sorry that the new website has caused much aggravation for many of our customers. We make no excuses for our failure to deliver an acceptable level of online service," Goh said.

A customer on an online forum Whirlpool said that the new site was "horrible and messy."

"This is driving me nuts. I've been trying to search flights all morning but it keeps timing out on me. Why couldn't they have just kept the damn old website?" said one user.

In a letter posted on the Singapore Business Review, Stephen from Sydney, Australia, said: "For an airline that prides itself on its inflight and on-the-ground service, the new website is a complete disappointment so much so that it would easily encourage someone to switch to another carrier."

Goh said SIA has "committed full resources to resolving the website problems and have made significant progress in rectifying many of the defects. We will continue to relentlessly pursue all other outstanding issues."

"An in-depth investigation as to how the issues that arose went undetected is well underway, and we are treating this with utmost importance," he added.

Still, some netizens continue to report problems in using the site. In a comment on a story on the world's best airlines, Yahoo! user 'E' said on Thursday, "While I am writing this comment, I am struggling to do a web check-in for a business class ticket from Seoul to Singapore.... I have been using web check in for years now and the new SIA website is not working...."

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1141115/1/.html
More SIA flights to meet Northern winter travel demand
By Julie Quek | Posted: 15 July 2011 1755 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines said it is increasing flights to Southeast Asia, North Asia and other markets during the Northern Winter operating season.

This season falls between end of October this year and late March next year.

SIA said the ramp up is due to the continued growth in travel demand.

An additional daily service will be introduced on the Singapore-Bangkok route, increasing flight frequency to five per day.

SIA added that as demand recovers for travel to and from Japan, services between Singapore and Tokyo Haneda will return to twice-daily flights.

Meanwhile frequency on the Singapore-Osaka route will also increase from 10 flights to 11 per week.

Other destinations which will see an increase in flights include Guangzhou, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Istanbul and Cape Town.

Meanwhile, SIA's regional arm, SilkAir, has also increased flights to Chengdu, Chongqing and Bangalore during this winter season, while adding Koh Samui as a new route.

- CNA/ck

Source:http://theedgesingapore.com/the-daily-edge/business/31008-singapore-airlines-names-wilson-ceo-of-new-low-cost-carrier-unit.html
Singapore Airlines names Wilson CEO of new low-cost carrier unit
WRITTEN BY THOMSON REUTERS
MONDAY, 18 JULY 2011 17:27

Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI) said on Monday that Campbell Wilson will be the first CEO of the new no-frills, low-fare airline that it plans to launch next year.

Wilson, 40, has been with SIA for more than 15 years. He joined the Singapore flag carrier in April 1996 in Auckland and held marketing and sales positions in New Zealand as well as Australia.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamcook/5946376303/

Some news regarding the budget unit that SQ is creating. :)


SIA says budget unit will fly Boeing 777-200 planes
Posted: 22 July 2011 1706 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) said Friday its newly established budget carrier will operate the Boeing 777-200 aircraft when commercial flights start next year.

The budget carrier will initially acquire the planes from its parent company and the aircraft will be reconfigured in a new layout, SIA said in a statement but gave no further details.

"The B777-200's proven versatility and reliability are key deciding factors in the selection of the aircraft," SIA said in the statement.

"The B777 family of aircraft has been a mainstay of the Singapore Airlines fleet since its introduction in 1997."

As of July, SIA's 106-strong fleet includes 35 Boeing 777-200 aircraft, according to its corporate website.

SIA had announced in May it will launch the new budget airline using wide-body aircraft to tap into growing consumer demand for low-cost travel over longer distances.

The airline has said the budget outfit will be operated independently and managed separately from its parent.

- AFP/al

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Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1144271/1/.html
SIA, Virgin Australia launch interline, lounge agreements
Posted: 01 August 2011 1010 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Virgin Australia have launched the first phase of their alliance.

They have started an initial interline agreement and offered reciprocal lounge access to eligible customers.

Starting from August 1, SIA customers are able to connect to a range of Australian destinations served by Virgin Australia on one ticket, with terminal transfers, in-flight entertainment and meals included.

The two airlines announced plans for a wide-ranging partnership in June, including codesharing and seamless connections.

The two airlines said subject to regulatory approvals, customers should be able to experience the full benefits of the alliance from late this year.

- CNA/fa

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1144332/1/.html
SilkAir starts first flight to Kolkata
Posted: 01 August 2011 1653 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airline's regional wing SilkAir operated its first flight to Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal, India on Monday.

With the introduction of the four times weekly service to the capital city of West Bengal, SilkAir now serves seven destinations in India, the carrier said in a statement.

The first flight took off at 1.15pm from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 and arrived at Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at 3pm.

The return flight will depart from Kolkata at 11.50pm Monday and arrive in Singapore at 6.35am on Tuesday.

The new flights complement Singapore Airlines' three times weekly flights to the city, making a combined daily service by the SIA group between Singapore and Kolkata.

Chief executive of SilkAir, Mr Marvin Tan, said: "We believe Kolkata offers tremendous opportunities for both inbound and outbound travel, be it for business or leisure.

"SilkAir is well placed to tap on this growth with our extensive combined network with our parent company, Singapore Airlines.

"SilkAir's new flights add to Singapore Airlines' existing services, thus giving our customers more flexibility and choice of schedules."

Kolkata, formerly know as Calcutta, is the main business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India.

- CNA/al

SIA’s newly configured A380 set for Europe

Published: 04/08/2011 - Filed under: News »

Singapore Airlines is poised to bring its latest A380 superjumbo into London Heathrow and Zurich, featuring an all-business class upper deck.

As readers may remember, the carrier’s latest batch of A380s (now being delivered from the Airbus factory in Toulouse) comprise business class seating along the entire upper deck. It means that business class capacity increases from 60 to 86 seats while the number of economy class seats is cut from 399 to 311.

SIA has designated these newer A380s (which have the larger business cabin to meet demand) to cover routes out of Singapore to prime commercial cities in Australia, Europe and the USA.

Sydney was the first destination to see the latest A380 with Los Angeles (via Tokyo Narita) having recently come on line.

And now, according to airlineroute.net SIA plans to bring its new A380s into London Heathrow and Zurich with effect from October 1.

Business Traveller has checked the seating plans on singaporeair.com for dates in October and the extended business class upper deck A380 is shown as operating:

Singapore-London flight SQ318 at 1245, returning with SQ321 out of Heathrow at 2205
Singapore-Zurich with SQ346 at 0120, returning home with SQ345 at 1145
Details of other European routes likely to see the new A380s remain a secret. But do not be surprised to see this aircraft eventually taking over additional services into London Heathrow and being rostered for Frankfurt and Paris CDG too.

Drawbacks? Business class passengers are the clear winners here. But canny economy class passengers will lament the fact that SIA’s cosy (economy class) cabin at the rear of the upper deck will disappear. Economy class passengers will now have to sit downstairs.

One word of caution. Airlines can and do make aircraft changes from time to time for operational reasons. So please bear this fact in mind.

To view a seatplan of the SIA A380 configured for an all-business class upper deck, click here.

For more information visit singaporeair.com.

(Business Traveller (http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/siaa-s-newly-configured-a380-set-for-europe) 2011)

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1146107/1/.html
Singapore Airlines orders eight Boeing 777s
Posted: 10 August 2011 0844 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) said Wednesday it has placed an order for eight Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, worth US$2.3 billion at list prices.

The order is to support the Singapore carrier's growth plans, SIA said in a statement.

"These additional B777-300ERs will help support our ongoing programme to further strengthen the Singapore Airlines network, providing more travel options to our customers," chief executive Goh Choon Phong said.

"The order is in line with our longstanding policy of operating a young and modern fleet."

Goh said the fresh orders will enable the carrier "to offer our latest cabin products which have proven extremely popular with our customers."

The new planes, which will be powered by General Electric GE90 engines, will fly the airline's medium and long-haul destinations, SIA said.

SIA's current 106-strong fleet includes 19 Boeing 777-300ERs, the carrier said.

The Singapore carrier expects to take delivery of the new planes in its 2013-2014 financial year and it will configure the aircraft in a three-class layout.

SIA earned a profit of S$1.09 billion (US$900 million) in the year to March 2011 on revenues of S$14.5 billion.

- AFP/cc

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1147182/1/.html
SIA's overall load factor dips to 70.2% in July
By Travis Teo | Posted: 15 August 2011 2247 hrs

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines Group on Monday said it filled 70.2 per cent of the space available on its planes for passengers and cargo in July.

The figure, for Singapore Airlines (SIA), SilkAir and SIA Cargo, is slightly lower than the 70.6 per cent achieved in July of last year.

Its passenger load factor on Singapore Airlines dipped by 0.8 percentage point to 81.6 per cent last month.

SilkAir's passenger load factor increased 1.4 percentage points.

SIA's capacity grew by 5.5 per cent in July, against a 4.5 per cent increase in passenger carriage.

SIA's passenger load factors fell mainly on the Americas route region, where the growth in demand was outpaced by the increase in capacity.

SilkAir's passenger load factor on West Asia routes improved compared to the same month last year as market demand remained buoyant in India. However, on East Asia routes, the growth in demand did not keep pace with the capacity increase, resulting in a slight decline in the overall passenger load factor.

In addition, SIA Cargo's load factor improved by 1 percentage point to 65 per cent.

The cargo load factors increased for all regions, except for East Asia.

- CNA/ms

Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_704420.html
SIA plane experiences hydraulic problems on landing
Published on Aug 21, 2011

A Singapore Airlines (SIA) plane returning to Singapore from Frankfurt experienced hydraulic problems which affected the steering of its nose wheel when it landed at Changi Airport on Saturday.

An SIA spokesman said Flight SQ325, which departed from Frankfurt on Aug19, experienced a fault with its hydraulic system just after take-off.

This affected the steering of the front wheel, which is used to manoeuvre the aircraft on the ground. In line with standard operating procedures, the spokesman said, airport emergency services were activated at Changi Airport.

The plane landed without incident at Terminal 3 at around 4.15pm, and was towed to its parking bay.

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1148672/1/.html
SilkAir to fly to 2 new destinations in October
Posted: 23 August 2011 1802 hrs

SINGAPORE: SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, will fly to two new destinations from October.

The carrier said on Tuesday that scheduled passenger services to Bandung, Indonesia will begin on 11 October, while passenger services to Changsha, China will start on 31 October - the latter subject to regulatory approvals.

The Bandung flights will operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays using Airbus A319 aircraft. This will increase to five times weekly during the northern winter season that takes effect from 30 October.

Changsha will be served by three weekly services on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays with Airbus A320 aircraft, said SilkAir.

It said Bandung and Changsha are the 37th and 38th destination respectively in SilkAir's network.

"Earlier this year, on 28 February, we started scheduled services to Pekanbaru, Indonesia and on 1 August Kolkata, India. This will be followed by Koh Samui on 27 September," said the airline's chief executive Marvin Tan.

"Asia looks set for further growth and SilkAir, as the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, is well placed to meet the rising demand for air travel in the region," he added.

SilkAir advised customers who are interested in the two new destinations to note that the cities may not be immediately available in the computer reservations system due to the lead-time required in making system updates.

- CNA/al

Source:http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/singapore-airlines-adds-extra-flights-to-adelaide/story-e6frea7c-1226124156536?from=public_rss
Singapore Airlines adds extra flights to Adelaide

SINGAPORE Airlines will fly to Adelaide twice a day, three days a week, boosting tourists this summer.

It will be the first time Adelaide Airport will have more than one flight a day from the same international airline, taking the airport's weekly tally of international services to 36.

In 2007, Singapore Airlines became the first international airline to operate daily flights through Adelaide. Since then Cathay Pacific has operated services from Hong Kong seven days a week, and Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur six days a week.

Yesterday Singapore Airlines confirmed it would have two flights a day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays from December 9 to January 31. The move follows lobbying by the South Australian Tourism Commission for additional flights.

For the three new flights, Singapore Airlines will use a wide-body Boeing 777-200 aircraft of 12 business-class and 276 economy seats. It means an additional 864 international seats into Adelaide each week.

SA Tourism Commission destination development manager Nick Jones said this was good news for South Australia.

"Singapore Airlines' decision demonstrates confidence in the market for SA tourism during the peak summer period," he said.

"There is much competition in the region for additional seasonal services and the airline has shown great faith in the SA market."

Mr Jones said SA was set to gain from the key international tourism markets of Europe, Singapore and China through the extra flights and the airline's good flight connections and marketing.

Singapore Airlines' SA manager, Andrew Soo, said 10 flights a week to Adelaide underlined the city's importance to the airline.

The additional flights will arrive at Adelaide Airport at 6.05am and depart at 7.20am, arriving in Singapore at noon, Singapore time.

Mr Soo said SA travellers on the new flights would have a greater choice of connections to destinations such as London and Frankfurt for same-day travel. Singapore Airlines will continue to operate an Airbus A330-300 aircraft on its usual daily flights to and from Adelaide.

Cathay Pacific announced last week it would launch non-stop services from Adelaide to Hong Kong three days a week from November.

The other flights will continue to include a stopover in Melbourne.

Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_708285.html
Singapore Airlines' latest destination: Social media
Published on Sep 1, 2011
By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent

Other airlines have done it and now, Singapore Airlines has decided to embrace social media to establish stronger links with its customers.

On Monday, it will take over an existing, unofficial SIA Facebook page started by a fan in 2006. The airline will also set up its own account on micro-blogging site Twitter.

SIA's spokesman, Mr Nicholas Ionides, told The Straits Times: 'By being on social media, we can reach out to existing and potential customers, converse with them and better understand their needs and aspirations.'

On why the airline did not do so earlier, unlike many other carriers such as Qantas and Malaysia Airlines, he said: 'A combination of factors, among them resources and the long-term viability of specific social media platforms, were considerations that we took into account.'

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jcf0BlsIdJA

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@ HKG

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Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobylam/6011783890/) by Toby Lam Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/tobylam/), on Flickr

Source:http://ph.news.yahoo.com/singapore-airlines-load-factor-falls-aug-capacity-rises-100850592.html
Singapore Airlines load factor falls in Aug, capacity rises
By Jason Szep | Reuters – Thu, Sep 15, 2011

SINGAPORE, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) , the world's second-largest carrier by market value, filled 66.4 percent of the space available on its planes for passengers and cargo in August, down from 68 percent in the same period a year earlier.

The airline, controlled by Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings Pte , said its capacity rose 5.1 percent to 9.5 billion seat-km last month from 9 billion seat-km a year earlier.

Table: Singapore Airlines capacity usage*

Aug 2011 Aug 2010 Change Overall load factor 66.4 68.0 -1.6 pts Passenger load factor 76.6 78.1 -1.5 pts Cargo load factor 62.3 62.5 -0.2 pts Passengers carried 1.391 mln 1.361 mln 2.2 pct * load factor in percent (Reporting by Charmian Kok. Editing by Jason Szep)

New York (JFK) and Frankfurt on the SQ A380 menu soon!

Source:http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Singapore-Airlines-to-fly-A380-superjumbo-to-New-Y-30165634.html

Singapore Airlines to fly A380 superjumbo to New York via Frankfurt
Published on September 19, 2011

Singapore - Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) on Monday said it would operate the Airbus A380 superjumbo on its route to New York via Frankfurt starting January 15.

The two cities would be the ninth and 10th destinations in its global network of A380 services, the airline said.

Singapore's flag carrier became the first airline to operate the world's largest passenger aircraft in October 2007.

The planned daily A380 flights to Frankfurt and New York will replace an existing Boeing 747-400 service, the airline said.

Singapore Airlines currently has 13 A380s made by European manufacturer Airbus SAS, with six more on order.//DPA

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotobogus/6171160901/

Singapore Airlines will fly to Rio (GIG)???

Nobody knows what will happen long term, but the next years? No!

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1159060/1/.html
SIA-Virgin Australia airline deal cleared for take-off
Posted: 13 October 2011 0856 hrs

Singapore: The proposed alliance between Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia has been granted a draft approval by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC).

The final approval will be made after further submissions from the carriers and other interested parties.

The approval means Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia will be able to take the next step to build an integrated alliance, offering an expanded network and seamless service offerings for travellers.

"We are pleased with the ACCC's draft approval," said Singapore Airlines' Regional Vice-President for South West Pacific, Subhas Menon, adding that the partnership with Virgin Australia "will enable us to deliver a best-in-class travel experience across Australia."

"Today's announcement will be welcome news to leisure and corporate travellers alike who will benefit from the more attractive and competitive travel options this alliance will provide," said Menon in a statement.

Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia lodged an application with the ACCC in June under which the two airlines proposed to codeshare each other's international and domestic flights, coordinate schedules between Singapore and Australia and beyond for seamless connections, engage in joint sales, marketing and distribution activities as well as offer reciprocal frequent flyer programme benefits.

Chief correspondent of Orient Aviation Magazine, Tom Ballantyne, said this is a good opportunity for SIA to tap into Australia's lucrative aviation travel market, which is dominated by Qantas Airways.

Both SIA and Qantas compete on a limited number of routes where there are a number of competitors.

The ACCC said the SIA-Virgin alliance is unlikely to harm competition in the market.

- CNA/sf/al

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/seansaviation/6252102962/

Singapore Airlines load factor dips in September

SINGAPORE, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines (SIA) said on Monday it filled 68.9 percent of the space available on its planes for passengers and cargo in September, down from 69.6 percent in the same period a year earlier.

The passenger load factor on SIA flights fell 0.7 percentage points to 79.6 percent as capacity increased 5.8 percent. The number of passengers who flew SIA rose 4.8 percent to 1.4 million.

SIA's regional unit SilkAir posted a 0.7 percentage point rise in passenger load factor to 71.7 percent.

Overall cargo traffic fell 2.3 percent year-on-year, even as capacity decreased 2.6 percent, SIA said.

Table: Singapore Airlines capacity usage*

Sep 2011 Sep 2010 Change Overall load factor 68.9 69.6 -0.7 pts **Passenger load factor 79.6 80.3 -0.7 pts Cargo load factor 63.7 63.5 +0.2 pts Passengers carried 1.411 mln 1.347 mln +4.8 pct * load factor in percent ** refers to SIA only

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1160896/1/.html
SilkAir wins Regional Airline of the Year
Posted: 21 October 2011 1432 hrs

SINGAPORE: SilkAir has been awarded the Regional Airline of the Year by the Centre for Aviation (CAPA), an aviation research body.

The award is given out to a regional airline that has had the most significant impact and demonstrated innovation in regional aviation.

SilkAir's chief executive, Mr Marvin Tan received the award last night on Thursday.

He said SilkAir maintained a clear focus on its role within the greater Singapore Airlines network, as a full-service regional feeder providing seamless connectivity with the parent airline.

CAPA said it found SilkAir deserving of the award for playing an effective role as regional feeder to its parent company, Singapore Airlines.

- CNA/cc

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Source:http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Singapore-Airlines-resists-new-Qantas-arm-report-pd20111024-MWRK4?opendocument&src=rss
Singapore Airlines battles new Qantas arm
Published 7:28 AM, 24 Oct 2011

Qantas Airways Ltd has encountered new resistance in its push to create a new premium Asian subsidiary, with Singapore Airlines angered by a move from the Singapore Economic Development Board to clear Qantas' plans for the new brand, according to The Australian Financial Review.

According to the newspaper, the Qantas proposal has been discussed at ministerial level in Singapore, and was recently debated by the government's cabinet office.

SA plans to lobby its government to block the deal, determined to be the sole carrier operating out of Changi Airport.

Singapore has now asked Qantas to submit more information on the economic benefits of tis plans to Singapore, according to the AFR.

Source:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Singapore-Airlines-unveil-new-rc-3631525320.html
Singapore Airlines to unveil new low-cost carrier on Nov 1
On Tuesday October 25, 2011, 5:30 am EDT

SINGAPORE, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd will unveil the name of its new low-cost carrier and some of the destinations it will fly to on November 1, the company said on Tuesday.

SIA, the world's second-largest airline by market value, has provided little information about the new carrier, although the Straits Times newspaper has said it will start operations in April with one Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

The new long-haul carrier plans to operate 14 aircraft by mid-2016, the paper added.

SIA is already the largest shareholder in short-haul budget carrier Tiger Airways Holdings , and the new long-haul carrier will enable it to better compete with rivals such as AirAsia and JetStar, a unit of Qantas . (Reporting by Kevin Lim)

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/asiacamera/6282479830/

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1162834/1/.html


SIA unveils long-haul budget carrier
Posted: 01 November 2011 1150 hrs
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SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has launched a budget carrier that will fly on medium and long-haul routes, including to Australia and China.

The airline, named Scoot, will begin flights from mid-2012 with a fleet of four Boeing B777-200 aircraft purchased from parent company SIA.

"Scoot is for you," said the new carrier's chief executive Campbell Wilson.

It is "not an everyday airline name because this is not an everyday airline," he told a media conference.

The budget airline is expected to have 14 planes by 2016, with longer term plans to fly to India, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Wilson told AFP after the news conference that Scoot is unable to fly to the United States initially because of the B777-200's limitations, but he was not ruling out serving the US market in the future.

Scoot is wholly-owned by SIA but will be managed independently.

Analysts have said SIA is moving to tap into a growing consumer demand for low-cost travel over longer distances as most of Asia's low-cost carriers cover short-haul routes.

Scoot is expected to compete directly with AirAsia X, the long-haul affiliate of Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia and British tycoon Richard Branson's Virgin Group.

AirAsia X flies to several destinations including London, Taipei, Tehran, Paris, Seoul, Tokyo and a number of cities in China and India.

Scoot said it will offer airfares up to 40 per cent lower than full-service carriers.

It plans to recruit pilots and staff from outside Singapore Airlines.

SIA already has a short-haul, full-service unit called SilkAir, which travels to tourist destinations in Asia and has a stake in Asian budget carrier Tiger Airways.

SIA, regarded as a barometer for the industry, earned a profit of S$1.09 billion ($866 million) in the year to March 2011 on revenues of S$14.5 billion.

- CNA/AFP/fa/al

Read that Scoot:http://www.flyscoot.com/# will be based at terminal 2 here it livery design:
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http://www.facebook.com/flyscoot

SQ still operates B772ER to Amsterdam. When they will upgrade this sector to 77W?

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Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 slides off the runway at MUC

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They really did "SCOOT" there....

They really did "SCOOT" there....

hahahahaha:lol::lol:

Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_730151.html
SIA plane veers off runway in Munich
Published on Nov 3, 2011
By Tham Yuen-C

A Singapore Airlines flight with 158 people on board veered off the runway right after landing in the Munich Airport on Thursday, but none of the passengers or crew were injured.

The Boeing 777 airplane had veered off the runway shortly after landing in the afternoon, coming to rest on the grass.

SIA said the flight, SQ327, departed Manchester at around 9am (5pm Singapore time) and arrived at Munich at around 12.10pm (7.10pm Singapore time). It was scheduled to depart Munich for Singapore at 1.10pm.

The runway at the airport was closed after the incident and is expected to reopen at night.

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Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1168750/1/.html
Scoot to fly daily to Sydney
By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 01 December 2011 1032 hrs

SINGAPORE : Passengers travelling from Singapore's Changi Airport to Sydney, Australia will soon have a cheaper alternative.

That is because Scoot - Singapore's first long-haul budget carrier - has chosen Sydney as its first destination for daily service.

Scoot will be the first low-cost long-haul carrier to serve Sydney from Singapore.

For now, only one flight will ply the route daily, when the carrier begins operations in June next year.

The airline will use the Boeing 777 aircraft and this will mean a capacity of some 400 seats per flight.

The no-frills flight will leave from Changi Airport at about 1.30am.

On why Sydney was chosen, Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot, said: "It gives Singaporeans a whole new travel option, it is a new type of carrier flying between Singapore and Sydney. Our airfares are 40 per cent cheaper than the full legacy airlines, so that opens up a whole new market for itself.

"No longer (does) Sydney need to be something you plan six months in advance, travel once a year, or once every two years. With the type of airfares we offer, with the type of simplicity we offer, the name Scoot means basically get up and go, you can travel as you want and when you want.

"In eight years in Singapore, the no-frills market has gone up from 0 to 20 per cent, and we can do exactly the same here. Sydney has a huge untapped potential inbound and outbound, no-frills travellers."

Scoot's parent company, Singapore Airlines (SIA), already flies four times daily to Sydney.

So will Scoot's presence hurt SIA, a full-service airline?

Mr Wilson said: "Not at all. We have been set up for a reason and that is to bring incremental business to the group. That increment is obviously the volume of our capacity, we are not designed to cannibalise from anyone, we will fill our aircraft on the target market that we are attracting, so it is new business. Comparing ourselves to our legacy airline is just a false comparison."

He added: "Sydney is well served by SIA, but it is not well served by long-haul, low-cost airlines. There is no low-cost airline serving (the) Singapore-Sydney (sector). We have been established to attract and target a new market segment, one that it is not being well served by traditional legacy airlines and therefore it is a perfect market for us to operate into, there is large volume, very attractive cities."

Scoot's presence in Sydney is also expected to boost tourism numbers between the two cities.

Already, Singapore is Australia's sixth largest international tourism market.

Barry O'Farrell, premier of New South Wales, said: "Singapore is a global city in its own way. This service will link those two cities and provide greater competition and provide greater price points for tourists. This is expected to add some AUD 150 million to the state's economy."

Scoot will receive support from tourism officials in Sydney, with a two-year marketing plan in the pipeline.

"Scoot is slated to announce more destinations very soon. It is exploring other Australian destinations like Victoria and Queensland. Outside Australia, it is also looking at China, India and New Zealand.

All destinations will be revealed by the time ticket sales begin by March next year.

Meanwhile, recruitment is also progressing well. Scoot said it has nearly hired its full set of 52 pilots needed.

As for cabin crew, those with experience are slated to go for training, while another recruitment exercise for those without significant experience will begin early next year.

- CNA/wk/ms

Singapore Airlines Additional S12 Operation Changes as of 28DEC11

As per 28DEC11 GDS timetable display, Singapore Airlines continues to adjust planned Summer 2012 operation.

Service to Amsterdam, Bangalore and Colombo sees are the latest batch of destinations with aircraft changes starting 01JUL12. Details:

Singapore – Amsterdam eff 01JUL12 Boeing 777-300ER replaces -200ER:banana:
Singapore – Bangalore eff 01JUL12 2-class Boeing 777-200 replaces 3-class, elimination of First Class
Singapore – Colombo eff 01JUL12 2-class Boeing 777-200 replaces 3-class, elimination of First Class
Singapore – Sydney SQ241/242 service continues with A330-300 operation after 25MAR12

Other reported changes please refer to report on 26DEC11 (Note Adelaide entry has seen changes in GDS, reported on 27DEC11)

http://airlineroute.net/2011/12/28/sq-s12update3/

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6620052835_c509e3291d_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42176790@N03/6620052835/

Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_754246.html
New low-cost carrier Scoot unveils cabin crew uniform

Published on Jan 11, 2012
By Karamjit Kaur

Scoot, Singapore Airlines' new low-cost carrier, has unveiled its cabin crew uniform.

When the airline starts operating in the middle of the year, stewardesses will don black and yellow dresses while the men will be in a similarly coloured T-shirt.

Scoot will fly long-haul routes starting with Sydney, Australia as its first destination and promises fares up to 40 per cent less than what full-service carriers charge.
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20120111/scootarticle-3.jpg http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20120111/scootarticle-2.jpg
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20120111/scootarticle-1.jpg

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1176864/1/.html
What does it take to be a part of Scoot's cabin crew?
By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 15 January 2012 1038 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore's first long-haul budget carrier Scoot said it could fly to five or more destinations other than Sydney, when it begins operations in June.

In an exclusive interview with MediaCorp, Scoot said it has also recruited the 51 pilots it needs.

The pilots - 26 captains and 25 first officers - will undergo training soon.

It has also hired half of the 240 cabin crew staff it requires.

Scoot received more than a thousand online applications for its first of three mass recruitment drives for cabin crew.

The airline is open to hiring those without any prior experience.

To make the cut, all they need to have is "Scootitude".

One of the candidates, Ms Nicole Yang said: "I have the Scootitude - good attitude and a big smile."

And that took all of a five-hour process to prove.

Candidates were first tested on their verbal and mathematical skills, followed by a problem-solving task as a group, while their every move is assessed by staff from Scoot.

After that is a test on public-speaking.

Candidates face a final round of interviews before being informed on the same day if they made the cut.

In the first recruitment drive, only about one in two candidates were offered a job.

Ng Ju Li, Scoot's head of cabin crew, said: "We are not a stereotypical airline that looks only for beauties of a certain height and weight... all those things are not so important to us.

"They need to be able to converse and entertain passengers to keep them occupied, because we are going medium to long haul, and will need to keep passengers engaged."

Scoot's CEO Campbell Wilson, said: "They are constantly up and down the aisle, and they are constantly selling, because at the end of the day, our model is based on people purchasing services, over and above the very cheap seat that we are selling to begin with."

The typical starting salary for cabin crew working with a budget carrier is about S$2,200. And one difference with Scoot is that compared to most airlines, Scoot's cabin crew will be expected to share rooms during their transit stops.

The next two recruitment drives will take place in February and March.

- CNA/cc

Source:http://my.news.yahoo.com/singapore-airlines-dec-load-factor-edges-nov-100138782.html

Singapore Airlines Dec load factor edges up from Nov
Reuters – 2 hours 42 minutes ago

SINGAPORE, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines (SIA) filled 68.6 percent of the space available on its planes for passengers and cargo in December, higher than 67.2 percent reported in November.

Compared with a year ago, the load factor was down 1.2 percentage points as the airline put more capacity into its passenger and cargo business, the world's second largest carrier by market value said on Monday.

SIA's regional unit, SilkAir, reported a 1.4 percentage points fall in passenger load factor to 83.1 percent from a year ago.

Singapore Airlines, 55 percent owned by Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd, has a market capitalisation of $9.9 billion, second after Air China Ltd.

Table: Singapore Airlines capacity usage*
Dec 2011 Nov 2011 Dec 2010 Change
Y/Y
Overall load factor 68.6 67.2 69.8 -1.2
Passenger load factor** 79.6 75.2 80.7 -1.1
Cargo load factor 63.6 64.2 63.5 +0.1
Passengers carried** 1.536 1.395 1.516 +1.3
* load factor in percent
** refers to SIA only, measured in million
(Reporting by Harry Suhartono; Editing by Anshuman Daga)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6779695747_6b732a70d5_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabra100/6779695747/

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/1181431/1/.html
Scoot to fly to Gold Coast
Posted: 07 February 2012 1351 hrs

SYDNEY: Singapore Airlines' new long-haul budget carrier Scoot said Tuesday Australia's Gold Coast would be its second destination, having already announced routes to Sydney.

Scoot will begin flying from mid-2012 with a fleet of four Boeing B777-200s bought from parent company Singapore Airlines in a challenge to Australian carriers Qantas and Jetstar.

"Scoot's all about offering great value, fun and a unique attitude, 'Scootitude'," the airline's chief executive Campbell Wilson said on the Gold Coast as he announced the new destination.

"Direct access to one of the world's premier air hubs for Queensland and north New South Wales, and to one of the world's best holiday destinations for Singapore," added Wilson, who turned up in a wetsuit and carrying a surfboard.

While Scoot is a wholly-owned Singapore Airlines subsidiary, it is independently managed and will focus on the medium and long-haul budget segment.

The carrier will offer fares about 40 per cent lower than the traditional airlines and will target the young, the adventurous, and those that wish to save money, Wilson said.

It also plans to fly to China and have 14 planes by 2016, with longer-term destinations including India, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

- AFP/ck

The A380 has definitely replaced her old sister at SQ

Singapore Airlines' jumbo farewell for the Boeing 747
By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent | StraitsTimes.com (http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_764287.html) | 8 Feb 2012

Four decades after it started flying the world's first jumbo, Singapore Airlines (SIA) is saying goodbye to the Boeing 747. The carrier will operate its last B-747 commercial flight to Melbourne, Australia, and back on March 24, spokesman Nicholas Ionides told The Straits Times.

SIA introduced the aircraft to its fleet in 1973, and at one time had more B-747s than any other carrier worldwide. In March 2003, the airline had 39 B-747 passenger aircraft in its fleet. Today, it has just three.

Singapore’s Tiger Air reports Q3 loss on Australia, fuel costsJanuary 30, 2012

A Tiger Airways plane sits idle at Melbourne Airport in this file photo of July 4, 2011. Last year, Australia’s aviation regulator imposed a five-week flight ban on Tiger Air’s operation in Australia due to safety issue. – AFP picSINGAPORE, Jan 30 – Singapore’s low cost carrier Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd reported its third consecutive quarterly loss and warned of a possible “significant” annual loss mainly due to problems with its Australian operation and soaring fuel prices.

Asian low-cost carriers have benefited from strong demand, but rising input costs, intense competition and a spate of natural disasters in the region has hit some airlines.

Tiger Air, which is about a third owned by Singapore Airlines Ltd, posted a net loss of S$17.4 million (RM42.46 million) for October-December compared with a profit of S$22.5 million a year ago.

“The group expects to report a significant net loss for the financial year largely as a result of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority suspension in Australia, the under-utilisation of the group’s aircraft fleet and exposure to high and volatile jet fuel prices,” Tiger Air said in a statement today.

Shares in Tiger Air plunged more than 60 per cent last year. Tiger competes with Indonesia’s Lion Air, Malaysia’s AirAsia Bhd as well as Australia’s JetStar, the budget carrier arm of Qantas Airways Ltd.

Tiger Air’s Oct-Dec revenue was flat at S$168.4 million. Last year, Australia’s aviation regulator imposed a five-week flight ban on Tiger Air’s operation in Australia due to safety issue.

Tiger Air’s Australian operations booked an operating loss of S$8.6 million compared with a profit of S$5.9 million a year ago, while its Singapore operations reported an operating loss of S$4.8 million compared to a profit of S$19.4 million. – Reuters

Source: Reuters

SIA Group's nine-month profit declines 59%By Aaron Karp | February 3, 2012

Singapore Airlines parent SIA Group reported a net profit of S$374 million ($298.2 million) for the first nine months of its April 1-March 31 fiscal year, down 59% from S$921 million in net income in the year-ago period.

Results were not much better for the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, for which SIA posted a S$153 million net profit, down 53% year-over-year.

SIA said in a statement that "persistently high jet fuel prices … adversely affected the Group's performance."

The airline is not optimistic about the current quarter. "Forward bookings continue to show signs of weakness in the final quarter of the financial year, due to uncertainty in the global economy and the protracted Eurozone debt crisis," SIA stated. "Passenger yields are expected to remain under pressure while cargo yields are expected to continue to decline. As the price of jet fuel remains high and volatile, fuel costs continue to adversely impact the Group's financial performance."

SIA's fiscal nine-month revenue rose 2% to S$11.15 billion while expenditures increased by 10% to S$10.86 billion "principally on account of higher jet fuel prices," the company said. Nine-month operating profit fell 74% to S$814 million.

Fiscal third-quarter operating profit was S$159 million, down 69% year-over-year. Breaking down SIA's fiscal third quarter by subsidiary, Singapore Airlines earned a S$137 million operating profit, down 64% (owing mainly to a 34% rise in aircraft fuel costs); SIA Engineering posted a S$28 million operating profit, down 17.6%; regional SilkAir reported a S$32 million operating profit, down 28.9%; and SIA Cargo incurred an operating loss of S$40 million, reversed from a S$48 million operating profit in the 2010 December quarter.

SIA mainline passenger traffic rose just 2.5% year-over-year for the nine months ended Dec. 31 to 65.64 billion RPKs on a 5.3% lift in capacity to 84.83 billion ASKs, producing a load factor of 77.4%, down 2.1 points. Nine-month passenger yield was flat year-over-year at S$0.119..

source:http://atwonline.com/airline-finance-data/news/sia-groups-nine-month-profit-declines-59-0202

http://www.siajourneys.com/img/content/13/img1.jpg
http://www.siajourneys.com/
The 747s final flight will be to Hong Kong
SQ has set up a website dedicated to the 747:http://www.SIAjourneys.com/

http://youtu.be/vuwWwF4BSxQ :) I love this SQ Commercial.

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1186585/1/.html
SIA, SilkAir to increase fuel surcharges
Posted: 02 March 2012 1745 hrs

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines will increase its fuel surcharge for tickets issued on or after March 8 this year as a result of continued high fuel prices.

Depending on the distance and class of travel, the increases range from US$2 to US$28 per sector.

The new fuel surcharge levels will apply to Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights.

Jet fuel prices have been increasing and fuel now accounts for 40 per cent of SIA Group's expenditure.

Singapore Airlines said it will continue to closely monitor the price of fuel and keep surcharges under constant review.

- CNA/ms

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6951315985_b1022d077b_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnavaphoto/6951315985/in/photostream/

A PASSANGERS TRIBUTE TO THE B747
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Source:http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/singapore-air-asks-pilots-volunteer-010007524.html
Singapore Air asks pilots to volunteer for no-pay leave

* Says no-pay leave duration may be one week to two years

* Says has no plans to make scheme compulsory at this point

SINGAPORE, March 9 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd , the world's second-largest carrier by market value, said on Friday it has asked its pilots to volunteer for a no-pay leave of up to two years as the industry was hit by weak demand and soaring jet fuel prices.

The move comes on the heels of a 53 percent plunge in third-quarter net profits for the Singapore flag-carrier, which recently also announced a 20 percent capacity cut for its cargo operation and higher fuel surcharges.

The offer is open to senior first officers, first officers, second officers and cadet pilots, for durations of between one week and two years to address a surplus of pilots, Singapore Air spokesman Nicholas Ionides said in an email.
"The global financial crisis in 2009-10 was a factor and resulted in some excess capacity at the time. Growth was also slower than anticipated after that," Ionides said, adding that pilots opting for no-pay leave can work for other carriers during the period subject to a written approval from Singapore Airlines.

The carrier has no plans to make the scheme compulsory at this point and sees the situation as temporary, he said.

Singapore Air, whose primary customers are business travelers, has been badly hit by a slowdown in corporate travel as major companies, mainly financial firms, cut costs.

The global airlines industry has been struggling to pass on the higher cost of fuels to customers as demand for business and leisure travel dwindled due to the global economic slowdown.

The International Air Transport Association cut its forecast for airline industry profits by a quarter to $3.5 billion for 2012 and warned the industry could plunge to an $8.3-billion loss if Europe's debt problems trigger another banking crisis. (Reporting by Harry Suhartono; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

^Whats the point? What do pilots get in return for volunteering?Surely there has to be an incentive.

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1189240/1/.html
SIA's passenger load factor inches up in February
Posted: 15 March 2012 2155 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) passenger load factor (PLF) rose one percentage point to 76.1 per cent in February from 2011.

It said that demand for flights to and from Singapore had benefited from the Singapore Airshow held between February 14 and 19.

However, the effects of the airshow was partially offset by a travel lull to certain markets after the Lunar New Year holidays. Notably, load factor for East Asia and West Asia & Africa fell 1.4 and 0.3 percentage points to 77.1 per cent and 70.6 per cent respectively.

Load factors for the Americas increased five percentage points to 73.3 per cent while Europe saw an increase of 1.5 percentage points to 74 per cent.

SIA said: "The operating environment remains challenging with jet fuel prices increasing 14 per cent over the same month last year. Passenger yields are likely to come under pressure with intense competition, coupled with recent promotional fare activities."

For the month of February, the number of passengers SIA carried increased by 6.5 per cent to 1.4 million with system-wide passenger carriage increasing by 6.8 per cent.

Overall cargo traffic was 7.1 per cent higher compared to the same month last year, while cargo capacity increased by 6.9 per cent.

Consequently, cargo load factor in February increased by 0.1 percentage point. Cargo load factor increased for all regions, except for Europe and West Asia & Africa.

-CNA/ac

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1190445/1/.html
Scoot to begin tickets sales on Thursday
By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 21 March 2012 2229 hrs

SINGAPORE: Scoot, Singapore's first medium to long haul budget carrier will start sales at 6.00am on Thursday.

And it's enticing travellers with a rare deal - one-way tickets to-and-from its first two destinations, Sydney and Gold Coast, are going from S$88.

The price, inclusive of taxes and surcharges, is for a limited period only.

The tickets can be purchased till midnight next Tuesday.

Its CEO, Mr Campbell Wilson said: "Besides being a fantastic deal, S$88 each way, including taxes, it's also a statement of intent, that Scoot will continue to offer exceptional value and give more people more opportunity to travel farther."

The launch prices came about after the airline started a campaign on Facebook, where prices go down as more people signed up as members.

For the past week, people have been able to "bid the price down" on Scoot's Facebook page; the more people who participated, the lower the price became.

"The response has been amazing, and we'd like to thank the 81,178 people who took part," said Mr Wilson.

The first departures for the launch fares are only applicable for travel, from June 26 (Sydney) and June 27 (Gold Coast) to October 27 this year.

The fares do not apply to the carrier's inaugural flights for which dates, plans and fares will be announced later.

- CNA/cc

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http://www.airliners.net/photo/Star-Alliance-%28Singapore-Airlines%29/Boeing-777-312/ER/2083486/L/

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1191503/1/.html
Scoot to launch Tianjin-S'pore flights in August
By Valarie Tan | Posted: 27 March 2012 1317 hrs

BEIJING : Singapore Airlines' wholly-owned budget carrier Scoot will make its first foray into China, with flights between Singapore and Tianjin taking off in August.

The medium- to long-haul budget carrier said there are two more Chinese destinations in the pipeline. Capital Beijing will not be on the cards.

Scoot will be flying between Tianjin and Singapore, four times a week, starting from August.

The budget long-haul carrier said it will be landing in two more secondary Chinese cities, before the end of 2012.

It is all part of Scoot's long-term strategy to connect passengers from developing cities in China to Singapore, and other international destinations.

Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot, said: "Clearly there are one-stop options people are getting to when they need to travel. So by offering a non-stop option, we feel that we will be able to attract a substantial amount of demand.

"Singapore has such a huge air network so there is a lot of natural connectivity that people will fly up on us and connect on one of the other mini airlines to destinations that we do not offer ourselves."

The airline declined to comment on its expected passenger volume and targeted market share in China.

But Tianjin International Airport said two-thirds of its daily passenger volume comes from connecting flights, and AirAsia is the only other international budget carrier operating there.

No exact date was given, but Scoot said ticket sales to Tianjin are expected to start in a few weeks. The carrier said 17,000 seats for its S$88 Sydney-Singapore flight were sold within first nine hours of sale.

Analysts said China has huge potential for international budget carriers, and if regulations are more relaxed, 10 such airline operators are expected to enter the market in the coming five years.

Chen Yuxin, visiting professor of marketing at Peking University, said: "There are no other countries with cities that have populations of more than a million each. Consumption levels have also increased. The high-speed railway has also helped.

"With old trains abolished, the choice is now between high-speed rail and budget carriers. And high-speed rail has become a reference price. Now that it is quite expensive, add a little more and you can take a budget flight, and save some time."

The Chinese government has in recent years been progressively opening up its airspace for commercial use, releasing air-routes previously limited to the military, and giving access to operators to secondary cities in inland China. That is one key factor to the growth of China's aviation market in time to come.

- CNA/fa/ms

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_782957.html


End of SIA's business-class flights to New York, LA?

By Rachel Chang
Three years after a controversial launch, Singapore Airlines is reviewing its options to stem losses on its non-stop, all-business-class flights to New York and Los Angeles.

Company sources say that the national carrier is likely to reintroduce economy-class seats to these flights in a bid to boost revenue.

Reconfiguring its five A345 planes - fuel-guzzlers built for long journeys - to include economy seats will be an expensive undertaking. But rising fuel prices have made the status quo untenable, said sources.

The two routes, the longest all-business-class flights in the world, have been consistently loss-making for the national carrier since their launch in May 2008. Still, they were kept on SIA's roster for their 'ultra-premium' status, even as business-class demand from the US plunged after the 2008 financial crisis. But historically high fuel prices are now forcing SIA management's hand.

Updated March 27, 2012, 3:33 a.m. ET
.Singapore Airlines A380 Turns Back After Engine Shutdown .

By CHUN HAN WONG
SINGAPORE—A Singapore Airlines Ltd. C6L.SG +0.37%Airbus A380 superjumbo jet en route to Frankfurt was forced to return to Singapore on Tuesday, in the latest incident involving the Rolls-Royce Holdings RR.LN +3.76%PLC engines that power the world's biggest passenger aircraft.

Flight SQ26, which was carrying more than 430 passengers, landed safely at 6:40 a.m. local time after its crew reported a problem with one of the jet's four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines nearly three hours after takeoff, the airline said in a statement.

"The crew reported an engine surge in the No. 3 engine and the engine was shut down," a company spokeswoman said in the emailed statement, adding that a surge refers to a disruption of airflow that affects an engine's normal operation.

The flight's passengers have since left for Frankfurt on another aircraft, she added.

Singapore Airlines is looking into the incident, and will inspect the engine in consultation with Rolls-Royce, according to spokeswomen for both companies.

A number of A380s have suffered problems with their Rolls-Royce engines. In November 2010, Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd. QAN.AU +0.58%grounded its entire A380 fleet for nearly a month following an engine explosion that forced an emergency landing in Singapore. In June Qantas reached a settlement totaling 95 million Australian dollars with Rolls-Royce.

Singapore Airlines, which operates 16 A380s and has firm orders for three more, had Rolls-Royce replace the Trent 900 engines on three of its superjumbos in November 2010 after inspections turned up unusual oil traces. Last November, a Qantas A380 flying to London from Singapore was diverted to Dubai after its crew identified a problem with one of the jet's Rolls-Royce engines.

The plane, which has been flying commercially since 2007, is made by Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. EAD.FR +0.80%
Separately, Singapore Airlines said Tuesday it will pay a penalty of 25 million South African rand (US$3.3 million) in relation to a South African Competition Commission complaint against the carrier. The carrier did not specify the nature of the complaint, but a commission statement Monday said settlements concluded with both Singapore Airlines and South African Airways related to price-fixing on flights between Johannesburg and Hong Kong.

—Sam Holmes contributed to this article.

Source:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577306632025041126.html

It seems not very reliable!!:ohno:

Singapore Airlines pays $3.3 mln fine to S.Africa
SINGAPORE, March 27 | Mon Mar 26, 2012 9:17pm EDT

SINGAPORE, March 27 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd , the world's second largest by market value, said on Tuesday it paid a fine of 25 million rand ($3.29 million) to settle a South African investigation into price-fixing of flights between Johannesburg and Hong Kong.

South African Airways was fined 18.8 million rand, the Competition Commission of South Africa said in a statement that described the violations by the two carriers. Singapore Airlines (SIA) did not mention the reason in its statement.

"Once the settlement agreement is confirmed by the South African Competition Tribunal, this will bring the Competition Commission's investigation to a close for Singapore Airlines," the carrier said.

In 2010, SIA and 10 other airlines were fined a total of 799 million euros ($1.06 billion) by the European Commission for fixing cargo prices. SIA said it may appeal that decision but paid a fine of 74.8 million euros. ($1 = 7.5931 South African rand) ($1 = 0.7504 euro) (Reporting by Harry Suhartono)

source:http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/27/singaporeairlines-southafrica-idUSL3E8ER0AB20120327

Another bad news for Singapore Airlines

Source:http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/storyviewer.aspx?cp-documentid=6086184
Updated: Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:32:42 GMT | By Channel NewsAsia
Last call for flight SQ747
Last call for flight SQ747

http://sin.stb.s-msn.com/i/92/74998B2058F5518653B7220E4E9F2.jpg

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines on Friday bade farewell to its Boeing 747 aircraft, with special commemorative flights between Singapore and Hong Kong.

Flight SQ747 departed Singapore’s Changi Airport at 8.30am.

It is due to arrive in Hong Kong at about 1.15pm before returning to Singapore.

On board the flight are more than 350 customers and crew members, as well as members of the media and other invited guests.

They include SIA’s first B747 pilot, retired captain Kenneth Toft, as well as renowned wine connoisseur, Ms Jeannie Cho Lee, who is a member of SIA’s distinguished Wine Panel.

Twenty students and guardians from Singapore’s Chaoyang School are also on the flight, bound for a weekend in Hong Kong, courtesy of SIA.

It is the first flight experience for most of the students.

Each customer will receive a unique certificate as well as a B747 aircraft model and limited—edition memorabilia.

Singapore Airlines executive vice—president, Commercial Mak Swee Wah, who is leading the festivities on board, said: "The 747 was truly the jewel in our fleet for nearly four decades, and we would not be the airline that we are today if we had not made the bold decision in 1972 to purchase this iconic jetliner.

"The jumbo enabled us to fly from Singapore to destinations that we could not previously reach.

"It also allowed us to do things that were previously unimaginable on a commercial aircraft, giving us the opportunity to provide our customers new standards in space and comfort."

— CNA/wk

It's sad to see the Megatop going. Farewell to the queen of the sky.

So its all A380 from here now on for singapore's mega doubledecker huh.

Yes, that's it. And that too wont be as numerous as 747 in the past. Nowaday the Boeing 777-300 also filled the role of Boeing 747 to the destinations that couldn't be served by A380.

Bad economy, less passengers, need to save fuel. Makes sense for the airlines to use less mega jumbojets.

Source:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/sias-scoot-fly-bangkok-competes-055904767.html

SIA's Scoot to fly to Bangkok, competes with Tiger
Reuters – 8 hours ago

SINGAPORE, April 24 (Reuters) - Scoot, the new medium-to-long-haul budget carrier of Singapore Airlines Ltd , said on Tuesday it will serve the Singapore-Bangkok route from July, putting it head on with its bigger sister Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd.

Tiger Airways is the short-haul budget unit of Singapore Airlines, the world's second-largest carrier by market value.

"It is to provide more connectivity for our guests, so our guests from Australia and China can go to Bangkok as well via Singapore," Scoot's spokeswoman See Lingling said.

She said the routes would help the carrier make the most of its Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

Scoot is offering a promotion of S$88 ($70.42) for a Singapore-Bangkok return trip, cheaper than the current fare of around S$200 from Tiger Airways.

Scoot will make its inaugural flight on June 26, with Sydney the first destination.
Last year, Singapore Airlines announced the set-up of Scoot as part of its strategy to capture the fast-growing budget market in Asia, which has been dominated by Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd and Indonesia's Lion Air.($1 = 1.2497 Singapore dollars)(Reporting by Harry Suhartono)

How does a low coast carrier like Scoot operate long haul flights to Australia?

Scoot was supposed to be longhaul so why's it flying to BKK? Isn't Tiger (also owned by SIA) supposed to fit that role?

^^ If I understand the article correctly the BKK flight will just be a destination where they can send their plane between the long haul flights. Creating a revenue flight instead of having the plane sitting on the tarmac at Singapore for several hours.

How does a low coast carrier like Scoot operate long haul flights to Australia?
With a Boeing 777 ;)

No seriously, it's an airline like Jetstar and AirAsia X. They use high density wide body aircraft to carry as many passengers and the travelers have to pay for all the extras including food and entertainment.


I'm actually quite interested to see how the Scoot planes will actually look like. Mainly because the drawings that have come out did look very 2D, how will that translate onto an actual airplane.

So, no prestige class for people willing to pay more to sleep on a reclining seat?

They will have a ScootBiz class which is basically a Economy Comfort class, but it's just 4 rows with 8 abreast = 36 seats. It's about 2.5x more expensive (or less cheap) then the basic fare in economy.

Just look at their website to see how it all works.
http://www.flyscoot.com/index.php/en/

So, no prestige class for people willing to pay more to sleep on a reclining seat?

Well for that they have ScootBiz

http://www.flyscoot.com/images/fly-with-us/ScootBiz/product-image---scootbiz.jpg

More here:

http://www.flyscoot.com/index.php/en/in-flight/scootbiz

Scoot was supposed to be longhaul so why's it flying to BKK? Isn't Tiger (also owned by SIA) supposed to fit that role?

it was mentioned as the new medium-to-long-haul budget carrier.

ScootBiz <> BizScoot @ Biskut @ Biscuits ?? jk

^^ If I understand the article correctly the BKK flight will just be a destination where they can send their plane between the long haul flights. Creating a revenue flight instead of having the plane sitting on the tarmac at Singapore for several hours.


With a Boeing 777 ;)

No seriously, it's an airline like Jetstar and AirAsia X. They use high density wide body aircraft to carry as many passengers and the travelers have to pay for all the extras including food and entertainment.


I'm actually quite interested to see how the Scoot planes will actually look like. Mainly because the drawings that have come out did look very 2D, how will that translate onto an actual airplane.
OK, so it's for fleet utilization. Makes sense then.

The 1st 777 for Scoot has come out of the paint hangar.

http://i.imgur.com/xLXxr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nwXVY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eeEQO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dcAfJ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/I3R8B.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tLUMo.jpg

from their facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/flyscoot

^^
Wonderful color scheme! Thanks for sharing! :)

^^nice livery :cheers:

So this is how the Scoot airlines looks like. Still looks classy, despite the fact that it's the cheap version of SQ.

Interesting livery. Yellow is not a color you see often on airplane.

The best livery ever for an asian carrier!!!...

Yellow is not a color you see often on airplane.

What about Royal Brunei? They're yellow too.

Yeah! but the Royal Brunei livery is less colorful than FlyScoot!!