Singapore Airlines is planning a significant expansion of its Australian network in 2024 to meet the growing demand for air travel. The proposed changes, which are subject to regulatory approval, include more seats and connections via Singapore’s Changi hub, adding more than 4,700 seats each week in each direction between Singapore and Australia. The upgrades will be phased in from March 2024.
In a press release, Mr. Louis Arul, Singapore Airlines Regional Vice President South West Pacific, announced that the airline would increase capacity to match the high demand levels they continue to see. The plan also includes the resumption of Airbus A380 services between Singapore and Frankfurt, direct services between Singapore and Barcelona, and restoration of flight frequencies to pre-pandemic levels for various cities in Singapore Airline’s global network.
Cairns will experience the deployment of a wide-body Airbus A350-900 medium-haul aircraft four times a week, marking the first time Singapore Airlines has utilised a wide-body aircraft for passenger services on this route in over two decades. This deployment means an extra 442 seats each week and an increase of more than 47 tonnes of cargo space from 31 March 2024.
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In Darwin, daily services will return to pre-Covid schedules with SQ251 and SQ252 operating a 154-seat Boeing 737-8 from 31 March.
Perth will see the resumption of pre-Covid schedules with the addition of a fourth daily service from the same date.
For Sydney, Singapore Airlines will bring back First Class to SQ241/SQ242 by replacing the A350-900 long-haul aircraft currently operating the route with a Boeing 777-300ER. The change will allow customers the option of travelling in either First Class or Suites on all four of SIA’s daily flights between Sydney and Singapore.
In Adelaide, Singapore Airlines will increase capacity by replacing the A350-900 medium-haul aircraft on SQ279/SQ278 with a Boeing 787-10, adding 238 seats each week to the South Australian capital.
Finally, Melbourne will see the reinstatement of a fifth daily service from the end of May 2024, once again pushing Singapore Airlines operations to the Victorian capital past their pre-Covid levels.
Being a Cairns home porter and always having to fly “backwards” with Qantas to start an international flight, swapping my allegiance to Singapore Airlines is almost to the point where I can’t refuse.