Singapore Airlines

[ethanegcc]

Oh right, well even so, with the new advertising, connections etc., I think the number of pax between MAN and IAH could easily reach 130+ so roughly just under half the plane. A 50/50 split between MAN-IAH and SIN-IAH pax would be great.

 

[Dobbo]

The other point to make is the potential knock on effect on other services.

We have a good example at MAN.

UA 100/101 to IAD is marginal at best. It operates on the smallest TATL aircraft, into a poor hub for UA.

It may be that some passengers transfer to IAH or other places in the USA from MAN via IAD. Those passengers may now choose to fly SQ and that might make UA 100/101 unviable.

It's not necesaraly a bad thing, but it demonstrates the interrelation between various routes.

Who knows, it may work the other way. Perhaps SQ and the *A partners will shove more connecting traffic via MAN if it gets USPBC? I have no idea, but food for thought.

 

[ethanegcc]

Doesn't EWR have similar connection opportunities to IAD anyway? We have no star alliance hub connections in the west of USA and I don't think it would knock IAD too much. Maybe ORD with *A would have an extreme effect but I am not sure about IAH. I hope IAD pulls through, even if it stays strictly summer seasonal. It is a great asset and the CAA stats of June signified the loads weren't all that bad.

 

[David_itl]

Recent story from the business perspective of non-stop to SIN and IAH http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...irect-manchester-houston-route-boost-12041340

 

[Dobbo]

The PAX numbers seem very low (I.e. Wrong):

• 17k per annum to "Texas"
• 20k per annum to SIN

 

[ethanegcc]

However, great to see it will boost the economy.

 

[David_itl]

The numbers may be right - they could be accurately recording the numbers going specifically to Texas and Singapore only whereas the aircraft may be filled with connecting passengers

 

[Dobbo]

Very good point... Although you might expect that to include connecting traffic from other airlines (I think your right in that it shows the traffic to SIN on SQ).

 

[ethanegcc]

I just hope SIN will go daily once more. Even if the IAH link remains 5 weekly?
they do hold the slots and by now, they should be getting an idea of the Lfs and performance. April?

 

[Dobbo]

I don't see how they could make MAN-SIN daily and MAN-IAH 5x weekly. You would be left with aircraft needing to reposition or with MAN-SIN 2x on some days and no service on others. That is not SQ's modus operandi.

If they wanted to upgrade the number of seats and frequency (but not to the extent of a B77W) they could always give us a nice shiny A350...

It would do me if the demand showed a daily service could be operated MAN-SIN, with strong demand for J and F. That would solidifies the route for the foreseeable.

 

[rutamkrd]

Until recently Barcelona has two Singapore departures going east on some days exactly because of the tag to/from Brazil on several days a week whilst others services operated via Milan.

 

[ethanegcc]

Which would offer more seats then - daily A350 MAN-SIN-IAH or 5 weekly 77W?
We have to remember that more people should in theory use the route, with it being non-stop MAN-SIN so a capacity decrease isn't ideal.

 

[Dobbo]

The three class B77W has 278 seats. At a 5X weekly operation that is 1,390 weekly seats each way per sector.

The A350 is 253 seats. A daily operation is 1,771 weekly seats per sector (an increase of 381).

The switch would be an easy PR win (new equipment) would be better for business customers and would not be a massive capacity hike...

 

[ethanegcc]

Video of Singapore 777-300ER departing MAN

 

[Land23R]

With the IAH flights starting next week and the Singapore sector becoming non-stop, is there any indications of how bookings are looking?

 

[ethanegcc]

Yes, the non stop SIN-MAN flights depart this Saturday (MAN time) and MAN-IAH departs this Sunday. Fingers crossed it all goes well.

I echo Land23R's question...

 

[Dobbo]

So the last MAN-MUC-SIN is on Saturday.

This has been a good route that has allowed SQ to keep serving MAN in some difficult times. Now they have the opportunity to build on this base I wish them well.

Competing with the MEB3 is certainly tough, particularly at MAN, but if managed well SQ have a good opportunity of getting back to the "glory" days of the early to mid noughties at MAN - and possibly beyond. Lets hope the signs are positive over the next few months.

 

[ethanegcc]

It certainly is a cunning plan by SQ. Moving the IAH route away from the economic uncertainty of Russia, which takes it's toll on DME-IAH travel, adding direct MAN-SIN service, which provides a superb base for growth, now that it is attractive on par with the ME carriers and adding a currently unserved Texas link to MAN shows commitment and possibly a line to daily services (hopefully this will materialise fairly soon) and/or even a 359 evening flight.

 

[Dobbo]

Well, I wouldn't classify moving away from the Russia-US market as cunning per se, but it was clearly not working for them (for obvious reasons)!

I would hope going non-stop to SIN would lead to an increased market share, but the single departure time will always mean the likes of Emirates will hoover up some traffic. This route fits the profile of the A350 type routes so I imagine in time we will see this aircraft in a daily operation on the route.

Second daily would be just greedy - I don't think it is impossible but not at any time soon.

 

[ethanegcc]

I mean that it is cunning to be able to help MAN, while moving away from the unstable Russia-USA market