AirAsia triples KL – Singapore flight

As per AirAsia timetable on the airlines’ website, the largest LCC in Asia will triple the number of flights it operates on the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore route from 01DEC08.

It will offer up to 6 daily flights

AK121 KUL0730 – 0820SIN
AK123 KUL1000 – 1055SIN
AK129 KUL1245 – 1335SIN
AK125 KUL1500 – 1550SIN
AK131 KUL1700 – 1750SIN
AK127 KUL1950 – 2050SIN

AK122 SIN0855 – 0945KUL
AK124 SIN1130 – 1225KUL
AK130 SIN1405 – 1455KUL
AK126 SIN1615 – 1705KUL
AK132 SIN1820 – 1910KUL
AK128 SIN2140 – 2240KUL

Kingfisher, SIA battle it for Singapore market

For decades, more than 70 per cent of the business and first-class passenger market between India and Singapore has been controlled by Singapore International Airlines (SIA).

But homegrown Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines is all set to challenge that with daily flights to the island city starting September 18 from Mumbai, a move that has prompted SIA to respond by adding more India-Singapore flights and increasing discounts.

Kingfisher is wooing SIA’s high-margin business and first-class passengers by deploying the state-of-the-art Airbus A330 and offering premium services.

“We are positioning ourselves as a premium Indian carrier with a ‘wow’ product on the route,” said Rajesh Verma, executive vice-president, Kingfisher Airlines.

“We are aware that there are established carriers like Singapore Airlines flying for years and they have deep pockets too. But we will get loads because we will offer a competitive product at competitive pricing,” he added.

The twin configuration A330 will have just 30 seats on Kingfisher First and 187 King Class seats (which are economy seats — Kingfisher does not have a business class).

First-class passengers will also be pampered with a chef on board, professional bar-tender, a jacket ironing facility and a social area with seat massages

SIA is already responding to the challenge by launching five more morning flights a week from Delhi, taking the total to 14 services a week ex Delhi.

“We are also looking at an increase of frequencies to Bangalore but that is slated for later in the year,” said Foo Chai Woo, general manager India, Singapore Airlines.

“Our aspirations will be to operate double daily to Chennai and Bangalore just like Mumbai currently. Looking ahead, we also need to increase flights to other key cities like Hyderabad as the market develops further,” Foo added.

Singapore Airlines executives said the airline is also offering discounts of between 33 and 66 per cent on return economy fares on its new flights. This will lead to some fare wars on the route as Kingfisher also has to fill its economy seats.

Kingfisher, however, says that it does not want to get into a price war but will respond to any challenge.

Travel trade experts point out that for Kingfisher the timing is right as it will launch just as the leisure season picks up. Load factors during the festival season go up 40 per cent between October and December.

Singapore Airlines takes delivery of sixth A380

Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its sixth Airbus A380 aircraft. The world’s largest commercial passenger plane arrived in Singapore today (18 September 2008) at 0823 hrs, following a delivery flight from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse.

The delivery of the sixth A380 allows for a second daily flight between Singapore and London, starting on 20 September 2008. The Singapore – London route is the first in the world to be operated twice a day by the superjumbo.

The second daily A380 service will depart Singapore as flight SQ 318, and return from London as flight SQ 321. This is in addition to the current daily service operated by SQ 322 (Singapore-London) and SQ 317 (London-Singapore).

Singapore Airlines was the first airline in the world to operate the A380. Since its entry in service in October 2007, the aircraft has been progressively utilised on routes from Singapore with high capacity demand. Aside from London, the airline operates daily A380 flights between Sydney and Singapore, and Tokyo and Singapore.

Following the delivery of its sixth A380, Singapore Airlines has 13 A380s remaining on firm order, and options on another six. The only other airline in the world to currently operate the A380 is Emirates.

First Qantas A380 on its way

IT is two years late. It resulted in compensation to Qantas of more than $200 million, upset the airline’s fleet plans and handed an arch-rival a bigger than expected competitive advantage.

But it will be all smiles today as Qantas finally takes delivery of its first flagship Airbus A380 in the European plane maker’s home town of Toulouse.

The giant plane is due to take off just before midnight tonight, Toulouse time, and will fly via Singapore to land in Sydney about 9am (AEDT) on Sunday.

The plane is due to enter commercial service on the Melbourne-Los Angeles route on October 20, with Sydney-Los Angeles following four days later.

It is due to go head to head with Singapore Airlines’ A380 service on the Sydney-Singapore-London route from January.

If Singapore is anything to go by, the new plane should slide into service with minimal hiccups.

The double-decker superjumbo has already been flying commercially for almost a year and the Singaporean carrier, which now has half a dozen of the giant planes, says it has been its smoothest ever entry into service.

The A380 is also proving a hit with passengers, who invariably remark on how quiet the cabin is compared to other planes.

Airlines that have the aircraft so far have adopted it as their flagship and kitted it out to be the showpiece of their fleets. This means seating configurations below the Airbus-recommended optimum and new features such as lounges, bars, showers and luxurious first class seats.

In Qantas’s case, this means 450 seats with 14 in first, 72 in business, 32 in premium economy and 332 economy. Everybody will get access to a new Panasonic entertainment system with more than 100 on-demand movies, 350 television selections, 500 audio CDs, 30 PC-style games and a selection of audio books and radio.

And to help passengers adapt to their destination, the new system will feature Lonely Planet guides as well as language tutorials. Just which airline will emerge the victor in the battle of the big planes remains to be seen, but passengers appear to have already scored wins.

Singapore Airlines to reduce surcharges

Singapore Airlines will reduce fuel surcharges for tickets issued from tomorrow for travel on short- and medium-haul flights, following a recent easing of jet fuel prices.

When the surcharges were introduced, Singapore Airlines undertook to keep their application under ongoing review, and to make adjustments in response to sustained changes in the price of jet fuel.

According to a release by the airlines, collections from the fuel surcharges will still only give partial relief from the   increased expenditure on jet fuel, which remain at historically high levels despite the recent correction.