Singapore Airlines increases flights, but no new routes in August 2020

Singapore Airlines and SilkAir have extended their existing published passenger flight schedules through to the end of August 2020. Although there are no new routes this time round, there are increased frequencies to some of the 27 cities on the combined network. In some cases, operating days of the week will also shift despite no overall frequency change.

SIA has also revived the first daily connections since introducing its skeleton schedule in April 2020, with flights to and from London operating seven times weekly from 1st August 2020.

Services to and from Kuala Lumpur are also daily at a ‘group level’, with a mixture of Singapore Airlines (Mon, Wed, Fri) and SilkAir (Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun) flights, beginning next month.

This isn’t the sort of increase we saw announced for July 2020, with a 75% hike in flights and 12 new cities added to the network, however Paris became a late addition to the July schedule and frequencies are being stepped up to both the French capital and four other cities in August, which is a positive sign.

  Headline figures

In total SIA and SilkAir will fly 612 passenger flights in August 2020, a 19% increase on the 516 services being operated in July 2020.

“Singapore Airlines (SIA) and SilkAir have increased the frequency of selected services in their passenger network in July and August 2020. With this, the SIA Group airlines (SIA, SilkAir and Scoot) will operate approximately 6% and 7% of the original scheduled capacity in July and August 2020 respectively.“

Singapore Airlines, 10 July 2020

We’re not sure what Singapore Airlines means exactly when it mentions “approximately 6% and 7% of the original scheduled capacity” in its statement, however we can show the total operation based on originally planned flight volumes for August 2020:

• Singapore Airlines: 6.9% (93.1% reduction)
• SilkAir: 1.7% (98.3% reduction)

Note that capacity in the aviation industry is typically measured by Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs), not by flight volumes as we have done here.

SIA’s low-cost subsidiary Scoot recently cut its July schedule by around a fifth to 102 passenger flights, to 1.8% of normal levels. The airline has yet to announce its August 2020 flight schedule.

Singapore Airlines flights

Singapore Airlines will operate 548 passenger flights during August 2020, the highest level since schedules were slashed in late March.

Unfortunately due to the strict travel restrictions still in force around the world as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is still a far cry from anything close to normal, and certainly not the ‘V-shaped’ recovery predicted by some when the crisis first hit earlier this year.

Cities with increased service in August 2020:

• Amsterdam (2/wk > 3/wk)
• Frankfurt (3/wk > 5/wk)
• London (5/wk > 7/wk)
• Osaka (1/wk > 2/wk)
• Paris (2/wk > 3/wk)

Here’s a map of the 17 Asia-Pacific destinations being served by Singapore Airlines in July and August 2020.

In addition, a single US destination and seven European cities are being served, with London marking the first return of a daily service in August 2020.

Singapore Airlines will be operating the following passenger flights to and from 25 cities during July and August 2020.

Increased frequencies are highlighted in yellow

All flights not listed below are cancelled during this period, or will operate as cargo-only services.

Adelaide
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ ADL SQ279	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	359R
ADL ➔ SIN SQ278	□	■	□	□	□	□	□	359R

Amsterdam (highlighted flights added in August)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ AMS SQ324	□	■	□	■	□	■	□	359
AMS ➔ SIN SQ323	■	□	□	■	□	■	□	359

Auckland
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ AKL SQ281	□	□	■	□	■	□	□	359
AKL ➔ SIN SQ282	□	□	■	□	□	□	□	359
SIN ➔ AKL SQ285	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	359
AKL ➔ SIN SQ286	□	□	□	■	□	■	□	359

Bangkok
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
BKK ➔ SIN SQ979	□	■	□	□	□	■	■	787
Note: SQ976 SIN-BKK is a cargo-only service due to Thai government restrictions

Barcelona
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ BCN SQ388	□	□	□	■	□	□	□	359
BCN ➔ SIN SQ387	□	□	□	□	□	■	□	359

Brisbane
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ BNE via SYD SQ288	□	□	□	□	■	□	■	359
BNE ➔ SIN SQ288	□	□	□	□	■	□	■	359
Note: Singapore – Brisbane flights operate via Sydney as SQ288 (the previous Canberra flight number), then operating direct back to Singapore.

Christchurch
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CHC SQ297	□	□	□	□	□	□	■	359
CHC ➔ SIN SQ298	□	■	□	□	□	□	□	359

Copenhagen
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CPH SQ352	□	□	□	■	□	□	□	359
CPH ➔ SIN SQ351	□	□	□	□	□	■	□	359

Frankfurt (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ FRA SQ26	□	■	□	■	□	■	□	359
FRA ➔ SIN SQ25	■	□	□	■	□	■	□	359

Frankfurt (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ FRA SQ26	□	■	□	■	■	■	■	359
FRA ➔ SIN SQ25	■	□	■	□	■	■	■	359

Hanoi
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
HAN ➔ SIN SQ175	□	□	□	□	■	□	□	359R
Note: Singapore – Hanoi flights operate as cargo-only. Passengers are carried solely on the return service.

Ho Chi Minh
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SGN ➔ SIN SQ177	□	□	□	■	□	□	■	787
Note: Singapore – Ho Chi Minh flights operate as cargo-only. Passengers are carried solely on the return service.

Hong Kong
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ HKG SQ890	□	□	■	■	□	■	□	787
HKG ➔ SIN SQ891	□	□	■	■	□	■	□	787

Jakarta (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CGK SQ966	■	□	■	■	■	□	■	359
CGK ➔ SIN SQ967	■	□	■	■	■	□	■	359

Jakarta (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CGK SQ966	■	■	□	□	■	■	■	359
CGK ➔ SIN SQ967	■	■	□	□	■	■	■	359

Kuala Lumpur
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ KUL SQ104	■	□	■	□	■	□	□	359
KUL ➔ SIN SQ105	■	□	■	□	■	□	□	359

London (highlighted flights added in August)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ LHR SQ322	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	359
LHR ➔ SIN SQ317	■	■	■	■	■	■	■	359

Los Angeles
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ LAX SQ38	□	□	■	□	■	□	■	359
LAX ➔ SIN SQ37	■	□	■	□	□	■	□	359

Manila (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ MNL SQ910	□	■	□	□	■	□	□	359R
MNL ➔ SIN SQ917	□	■	□	□	■	□	□	359R

Manila (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ MNL SQ910	□	■	□	□	□	□	■	359R
MNL ➔ SIN SQ917	□	■	□	□	□	□	■	359R

Melbourne (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ MEL SQ217	□	□	□	□	■	□	□	359
MEL ➔ SIN SQ218	□	■	□	□	□	□	□	359
SIN ➔ MEL SQ237	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	359
MEL ➔ SIN SQ238	□	□	□	□	□	■	□	359

Melbourne (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ MEL SQ217	□	□	□	□	■	□	□	359
MEL ➔ SIN SQ218	□	□	□	□	□	□	■	359
SIN ➔ MEL SQ237	□	□	□	□	□	■	□	359
MEL ➔ SIN SQ238	□	□	□	□	□	■	□	359

Osaka (highlighted flights added in August)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ KIX SQ622	□	□	■	□	■	□	□	787
KIX ➔ SIN SQ623	□	□	■	□	■	□	□	787

Paris (highlighted flights added in August)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CDG SQ336	□	□	■	□	■	□	■	359
CDG ➔ SIN SQ335	■	□	□	■	□	■	□	359

Shanghai
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ PVG SQ830	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	787
PVG ➔ SIN SQ833	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	787

Seoul (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ ICN SQ600	□	□	■	□	□	■	□	359R
ICN ➔ SIN SQ609	□	□	■	□	□	■	□	359R

Seoul (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ ICN SQ600	□	□	■	□	□	□	■	359R
ICN ➔ SIN SQ609	□	□	■	□	□	□	■	359R

Sydney (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ SYD SQ231	■	□	■	□	□	□	■	359
SYD ➔ SIN SQ232	■	■	□	■	□	□	□	359
SIN ➔ SYD SQ288	□	■	□	□	■	□	□	359
SYD ➔ SIN via BNE SQ288	□	■	□	□	■	□	□	359
Note: SQ288 Sydney to Singapore flights (the old Canberra flight number) operate via Brisbane on the journey back to Singapore.

Sydney (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ SYD SQ231	■	■	□	□	□	■	□	359
SYD ➔ SIN SQ232	■	■	□	□	□	■	□	359
SIN ➔ SYD SQ288	□	□	□	□	■	□	■	359
SYD ➔ SIN via BNE SQ288	□	□	□	□	■	□	■	359
Note: SQ288 Sydney to Singapore flights (the old Canberra flight number) operate via Brisbane on the journey back to Singapore.

Tokyo (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ NRT SQ638	□	□	□	■	□	■	■	787
NRT ➔ SIN SQ637	□	□	□	■	□	■	■	787

Tokyo (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ NRT SQ638	■	□	■	□	□	□	■	787
NRT ➔ SIN SQ637	■	□	■	□	□	□	■	787

Zurich
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ ZRH SQ346	□	□	■	□	■	□	■	359
ZRH ➔ SIN SQ345	■	□	□	■	□	■	□	359

As you can see Singapore Airlines is continuing to dedicate its passenger flights to two aircraft types through to the end of August – the Airbus A350 (3-class and Regional variants) and Boeing 787-10.

That means no more First Class or Suites cabins for the foreseeable future, with Airbus A380s, Boeing 777-300s and Boeing 777-300ERs all in storage either at Changi or in Alice Springs, Australia.

Note: Some aircraft types in GDS and at SingaporeAir.com still reflect their originally planned variants. This will be updated in the coming days.

SilkAir

SilkAir added Cebu, Kuala Lumpur and Medan flights to its roster in June and July 2020, however the Cebu services never went ahead and were cancelled, so the airline ended up with a network of three cities including its regular Chongqing flights.

This network continues in August 2020, with increased frequencies to and from Kuala Lumpur.

SilkAir will be running the following passenger flights to and from 3 cities during July and August 2020.

Cities with increased service in August 2020:

• Kuala Lumpur (2/wk > 4/wk)

New services or increased frequencies are highlighted in yellow

All SilkAir flights not listed below are cancelled during this period.

Chongqing
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CKG MI972	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	738
CKG ➔ SIN MI971	■	□	□	□	□	□	□	738

Kuala Lumpur (highlighted flights added in August)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ KUL MI324	□	■	□	■	□	■	■	738
KUL ➔ SIN MI323	□	■	□	■	□	■	■	738

Medan (until 31 Jul)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ KNO MI234	□	■	□	■	□	□	□	738
KNO ➔ SIN MI233	□	■	□	■	□	□	□	738

Medan (from 1 Aug)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ KNO MI234	□	■	□	□	□	□	■	738
KNO ➔ SIN MI233	□	■	□	□	□	□	■	738

Full schedules

Full flight schedules for SIA and SilkAir during July and August 2020 are now available at the Singapore Airlines website.

These are regularly updated throughout the month, so do check for the latest changes.

  SIA and SilkAir July / August Flight Schedules

Transit passengers

Much of the SIA Group’s passenger traffic now hinges on transit passengers, with the almost complete inability to fly to or from Singapore directly unless your particular circumstances demand it.

The slightly expanded network for August 2020 helps capitalise on SIA’s connection principle, with transit passengers now permitted to pass through Changi Airport.

Additional Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt flights are likely no coincidence here, helping the airline add options for those still making their way home or travelling for urgent reasons.

Scoot

SIA’s low cost subsidiary Scoot expended its route network to eight cities in June 2020. The airline planned operate 128 flights in July 2020, however this was dialled back to around 100 services.

That’s still its highest capacity by flight volumes since the airline imposed a skeleton schedule in April 2020.

Scoot tends to hold back on its schedule announcements until closer to the time and has not yet confirmed whether further frequencies and destinations will be added in August 2020.

Hopefully we can bring you more news on that later this month.

What if your flight has been cancelled?

You may be protected by SIA’s latest travel waiver policy, in which case you can:

• Apply for a full cash refund; or
• Receive a travel credit voucher including a bonus credit against a future booking

See our article here covering the latest travel waiver policy for details, or check the SIA website here.

September onwards

As with previous months, Singapore Airlines continues to load practically its full schedule in GDS from 1st September 2020, then later announces which services will actually go ahead.

Do remember that these forward plans (September 2020 onwards) are subject to significant further cuts based on the coronavirus situation closer to the time, so we expect a revised service operation list to be announced closer to the time.

Summary

Without ‘green lanes’, ‘travel bubbles’ and additional ‘fast lanes’, there’s really no passenger market for the SIA Group to serve other than a limited (albeit important) opportunity for transit passengers to move around the world, particularly between Australia / New Zealand and Europe.

This month we’ve seen Paris added to the network, plus increased frequencies to the likes of Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt in August. These extra flights will assist with SIA’s transit passenger connectivity, normally more than a third of its business, but frankly there’s the significant risk of another ‘plateau’ being reached if international travel borders aren’t opened up soon.

We can’t realistically see Singapore Airlines returning to 10%+ of normal capacity levels in the coming months without significant progress to agree at least some form of common travel corridors and / or regular international tourist activity.

Last month the step-up in activity gave us cause for optimism, but this month it seems like we’re treading water – waiting for governments to agree a way forward before we can see any meaningful ramp-up in flights.

(Cover Photo: AirImages / Shutterstock)