Singapore Airlines

[Land23R]

Excellent news. Thanks.

 

[ethanegcc]

If SQ did really well on all yhe sectors e.g. MAN-IAH, MAN-SIN could they upgrade it to an A380 as they can't drop the IAH route (it has to have a stop in Europe and if the demand was there for MAN-IAH they wouldnt want to change it) instead of having four 77Ws on the route if it was twice daily? Or maybe they could have a 77W and an A388?

Just a thought: how would they expand from here?

 

[Dobbo]

The flybe codeshare has just been announced:

https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/singapore-airlines-and-flybe-agree-feeder-flights-6034

Inevitable, and probably a good indication of the aspiration to go daily.

 

[ethanegcc]

Inevitable, and probably a good indication of the aspiration to go daily.

It could also divert pax from the likes of EDI, GLA, DUB, BFS, ABZ etc that would usually go via FRA with LH to MAN, adding more to the load factors potentially.

 

[Dobbo]

Ethan

I think an A380 or double daily is several "bridges too far". Remember that Scoot was mooted not so long ago.

I think the aspiration to go daily SIN-MAN-IAH-MAN-SIN, particularly in light of the Flybe codeshare, is realistic.

I am told that back in the early 2000s SQ at MAN requested slots for a night flight three times a week from MAN. I would think that any additional capacity would be to add a night flight MAN-SIN but that is some way off at this time.

 

[ethanegcc]

Yes an A380 is too far but I do think the route will grow given the BE and possibly UA codeshare and the prospect of non stop will make it more attractive. Also if you bear in mind the route is effectively fielding three routes and if the MAN-SIN had about 60% of the passengers on MAN-MUC-SIN it could easily get filled up.

What is the possibility of SQ doing:
5 weekly SIN-MAN-IAH
2 weekly SIN-MAN
Given that the current SIN-DME-IAH was 5 weekly and the MAN-MUC-SIN was daily?

 

[Dobbo]

The issue with splitting the routing would be having to either park an aircraft for 24-48 hours at MAN or having two flights a day on certain days, but none on others.

I think they would aim for daily SIN-MAN-IAH.

If the route performs very well they might consider a late flight SIN-MAN but I very much doubt that is currently in play.

 

[ethanegcc]

Okay, I hope it goes daily although 5 weekly is enough. We need to focus on CX and HU going daily. If TG comes as is rumoured there could be some great competition in SE Asia!

 

[David_itl]

Singapore Airlines comments back in 2007 http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/twenty-years-of-flying-high-1026753

10 weekly 'if the demand is there'

 

[Dobbo]

There you go.

The market has moved on from 2007. It is now larger, but the competition from the MEB3, CX, TK and the Chinese carriers is new. On the other hand, we now have the "subsidy" of SIN-IAH traffic and a good feed from Flybe.

Let's see how it plays out.

 

[ethanegcc]

I hope the SQ route really does well. Now it's direct it will become a better prospect to people wishing to connect onward from Singapore, UA will offer connections from IAH as a new gateway in the USA and with BE providing connections from across the UK, MAN could become a kind of UK Mini Hub. By the way, does anyone have an idea why HU haven't codeshared with BE? This could be a great alternative to connecting EDI, GLA, BFS etc. with China? I know this isn't a Hainan thread but why don't HU deploy the 788-789 on European routes?

 

[User001]

Hainan don't need a BE codeshare, they are filling the flights up with just the local population as it is.

If a codeshare was brought in, an increase to the PEK flights would also be needed.

 

[ethanegcc]

Well that's what I thought - if it brings us daily flights to PEK then it's good?

I have just been looking to book a flight for April 2017 from MAN to SIN and noticed the times are slightly different to what User001 quoted last Thursday when it was announced the route will begin this year instead of next.

They are only slightly different but allows no time for two SQs to be on the ground at once - unless the inbound IAH comes in slightly ahead of schedule.

I don't know whether the times have changed up until April but as I say it is only slight:
SIN 0230 - MAN 09:15, 10:30 - IAH 14:20
IAH 19:30 - MAN 10:30 +1 , 12:00 - SIN 08:00 +2 from IAH +1 from MAN

Still quoting 5 weekly also.

 

[User001]

The times change from April due to BST

 

[ethanegcc]

Oh yes of course - strange they haven't changed a full hour though! Am I right in thinking that SQ will be bringing the older 3 class 77Ws instead of the 4 class we have been getting from MUC?

New registrations then maybe for spotters if so.

 

[User001]

Yes they are the older B77W but all B77W will have the same product eventually. Apparently the 8 seats are needed on this route versus the 4 seats in the newer cabins.

 

[Dobbo]

Great to see Flybe operating to make MAN a second de facto hub for the UK.

With SQ, CX, VS, TCX and who knows who else in the future, they seem to be doing rather well.

 

[ethanegcc]

Great to see Flybe operating to make MAN a second de facto hub for the UK.

With SQ, CX, VS, TCX and who knows who else in the future, they seem to be doing rather well.

I know! It could offer an alternative to LHR on a UK basis if MAN continues to grow and offers domestic links to places LHR doesn't e.g. EXT, SOU. Given BE are now codesharing with airlines none of which have a link to Dublin they should begin a route to Dublin? I know it is a crowded market with FR and EI but perhaps with an Embraer as I don't think SQ/CX etc. have a codeshare with EI and Dublin doesn't yet have a China or Asia link - HU could get in on the action here until a DUB-PEK route is launched.

 

[Dobbo]

It won't challenge LHR.

However, if you wanted to fly SQ from say Aberdeen, it would be easy to go via MAN. I'm not sure how easy it would be to do that via LHR.

 

[ethanegcc]

I didn't mean it would challenge LHR in general just as a choice for UK travellers thinking 'I would rather change in MAN than LHR'. Especially with the growth MAN is experiencing