Which airlines are flying out of Changi in September 2020?

Despite wide-ranging international border restrictions and only a handful of people eligible or able to travel as a result, 33 of the usual 70 airlines at Singapore Changi Airport are still providing at least a skeleton passenger operation in September 2020, keeping essential cargo flowing and helping people return home if they need to.

This month however we’re starting to see a less ambitious increase in services, with flight volumes hovering at around 5-6% of usual levels and some airlines, including Lufthansa, scaling back flights having found their original plans were probably a little over-ambitious.

Some airlines are continuing to expand though, including Singapore Airlines and Scoot, both of whom can now benefit from increased approval to carry transit passengers to and from almost all their network points.

Here’s our monthly look at who’s flying where in September 2020.

Singapore carriers

First of all, here’s the schedule for our four ‘home’ airlines this month.

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Jetstar

Jetstar Asia has been operating limited passenger services to and from Bangkok, Manila and Kuala Lumpur since 21st April 2020 (having been completely grounded from 23rd March to 20th April).

In August 2020 however the airline added five more cities to its network, for a total of eight.

• Bangkok (2/wk)*
• Clark (1/wk)
• Ho Chi Minh (1/wk)
• Jakarta (2/wk)
• Kuala Lumpur (2/wk)
• Manila (1/wk)
• Medan (1/wk)
• Penang (1/wk)

* Singapore – Bangkok flights are cargo-only due to Thai government restrictions.

That’s a total of 9 passenger departures per week from Changi, which continues in September 2020.

	Jetstar Asia Changi Departures
	Aug 9/wk	➔	Sep 9/wk

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SilkAir

In August 2020, SilkAir operated a network of four routes with nine weekly flights, using its Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

The airline is currently flying to:

• Cebu (2/wk)
• Chongqing (1/wk)
• Kuala Lumpur (4/wk)
• Medan (2/wk)

From 1st September 2020, Phnom Penh is added as the airline’s fifth route with two additional flights per week.

	SilkAir Changi Departures
	Aug 9/wk	➔	Sep 11/wk

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Scoot

Scoot recently announced the addition of Tokyo, Osaka and Kaohsiung to its schedule of passenger flights for September 2020, with 21 weekly departures by the end of the month from Changi to 18 cities:

Clark (1/wk) Guangzhou (1/wk) Hong Kong (3/wk) Ipoh (1/wk) Kaohsiung (1/wk) Kuala Lumpur (1/wk) Kuching (1/wk) Nanjing (1/wk) Palembang (1/wk)

Pekanbaru (1/wk) Penang (1/wk) Perth (3/wk) Osaka (1/wk) Seoul (1/wk) Surabaya (1/wk) Taipei (2/wk) Tokyo (1/wk) Yogyakarta (1/wk)

	Scoot Changi Departures
	Aug 16/wk	➔	Sep (fm 7th) 18/wk Sep (fm 14th) 20/wk Sep (fm 28th) 21/wk

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Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines expanded its schedule slightly during August 2020 and is currently flying 66 passenger departures per week from Changi, rather than the 62 per week we first reported for the month.

Schedule expansion continues for September 2020, with Istanbul, Perth and Surabaya added for a total of 75 weekly passenger departures from Singapore by the end of the month.

Here is the Singapore Airlines network for September 2020:

Adelaide Amsterdam Auckland Bangkok* Barcelona Brisbane Christchurch Copenhagen Frankfurt Hanoi* Ho Chi Minh* Hong Kong Istanbul Jakarta Kuala Lumpur

London Los Angeles Manila Melbourne* Milan Osaka Paris Perth Seoul Shanghai Sydney Surabaya Taipei Tokyo Zurich

* Cargo-only from Singapore due to government restrictions. Passengers carried to Singapore only.

	Singapore Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 66/wk	➔	Sep (fm 9th) 72/wk Sep (fm 21st) 75/wk

Additionally, the airline is flying cargo-only services to several cities, including to Bangkok, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh with passengers carried on inbound sectors back to Singapore in those three cases.

Overseas carriers

Important Note: This schedule data is correct at the time of writing (30-31 August 2020) and will not be updated with subsequent changes. Always check with your operating airline for the latest schedule.

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Air China

Air China operated a once weekly (Monday) service from Singapore to Chengdu using the Airbus A330 and a once weekly (Friday) service from Singapore to Hangzhou during August 2020.

Those flights continue in September 2020 for a total of two weekly services.

	Air China Changi Departures
	Aug 2/wk	➔	Sep 2/wk

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Air France

Air France operated three times weekly Boeing 777-300ER flights from Singapore to Paris during August 2020.

These services continue in September 2020, however the aircraft is downgauging to the Boeing 787-9 on all flights.

	Air France Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 3/wk

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Air Niugini

Air Niugini continues to fly from Changi to Port Moresby four times weekly during September 2020, a schedule it has maintained for the last few months.

	Air Niugini Changi Departures
	Aug 4/wk	➔	Sep 4/wk

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Air Asia Group

Air Asia was planning an ambitious restart of operations at Changi Airport in June, July and August 2020, however service resumption was largely postposed in these cases.

Once weekly service from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur was restarted on 17th August 2020. This is the only Air Asia flight planned during September 2020.

	Air Asia Changi Departures
	Aug 1/wk	➔	Sep 1/wk

Air Asia is now operating from Terminal 1 at Changi, following the temporary closure of Terminal 4 in May 2020.

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ANA

ANA has been flying three times weekly service to Tokyo Narita during July and August 2020 – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Despite provisionally scheduling its regular full schedule (three times daily / 21 times weekly) from 1st September 2020, the reduced three times weekly service will continue.

	ANA Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 3/wk

Full schedule now resumes from 1st October 2020, likely subject to further (downward) adjustment.

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Asiana

Asiana scaled back its passenger flights at Singapore from twice to once weekly in August, using Airbus A330s on Fridays. In September the airline will switch to the Boeing 777-200ER, adding a Sunday service from 13th September and a Wednesday service from 16th September.

	Asiana Changi Departures
	Aug 1/wk	➔	Sep (fm 13th) 3/wk

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British Airways

British Airways has been flying out of Changi to London four times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays during August 2020.

This schedule continues through September 2020.

	British Airways Changi Departures
	Aug 4/wk	➔	Sep 4/wk

Services from Singapore to Sydney ended on 8th April 2020 and are not scheduled to restart until 16th December 2020 at this stage, though that provisional date continues to slip.

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Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific is now operating from Terminal 1 at Changi, and is currently flying 3 times weekly to Hong Kong.

This schedule continues in September 2020.

	Cathay Pacific Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 3/wk

Cathay’s usual daily flight from Singapore to Bangkok is currently suspended until at least 25th October 2020.

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Cebu Pacific

Cebu Pacific re-started Singapore – Manila flights twice per week using Airbus A321 aircraft in August, on Fridays and Sundays.

This schedule continues in September 2020.

	Cebu Pacific Changi Departures
	Aug 2/wk	➔	Sep 2/wk

Cebu is currently operating from Terminal 1, following the temporary closure of Terminal 4 in May 2020.

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China Airlines

China Airlines has been operating twice weekly Airbus A330 passenger services from Changi to Taipei since mid-July 2020.

These flights continue, on Thursdays and Sundays, during September 2020.

	China Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 2/wk	➔	Sep 2/wk

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China Eastern Airlines

China Eastern Airlines will operate once weekly (Thursday) Boeing 787-9 flights from Changi to Shanghai in September 2020, the same schedule it has been flying during July and August 2020.

	China Eastern Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 1/wk	➔	Sep 1/wk

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China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines has been flying once weekly (Tuesday) Boeing 787 services from Changi to Guangzhou. This schedule continues for September 2020.

	China Southern Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 1/wk	➔	Sep 1/wk

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Emirates

Emirates planned three times weekly flights on its Singapore – Dubai route during August 2020, however this had increased to five times weekly by the end of the month.

The same five times weekly schedule is planned for September 2020.

	Emirates Changi Departures
	Aug 5/wk	➔	Sep 5/wk

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Etihad Airways

Etihad has been operating four times weekly Boeing 787-9 flights between Changi and Abu Dhabi in August 2020.

From the second week of September 2020, a fifth weekly service is added.

	Etihad Airways Changi Departures
	Aug 4/wk	➔	Sep (fm 9th) 5/wk

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EVA Air

EVA Air will continue its twice weekly passenger operation on the Singapore – Taipei route in September 2020, on Wednesdays and Sundays using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

	EVA Air Changi Departures
	Aug 2/wk	➔	Sep 2/wk

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Finnair

Finnair re-started passenger flights from Singapore to Helsinki twice weekly in August 2020 on Fridays and Sundays using its Airbus A350 aircraft.

Despite originally planning to increase to five times weekly service in September, the airline has instead opted to retain this reduced schedule for the time being.

	Finnair Changi Departures
	Aug 2/wk	➔	Sep 2/wk

Six times weekly service is now provisionally slated from early October 2020.

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Garuda Indonesia

Garuda Indonesia’s five times weekly Jakarta service continues in September 2020, as it has over the previous couple of months. A mixture of Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A330 aircraft are used.

	Garuda Indonesia Changi Departures
	Aug 5/wk	➔	Sep 5/wk

The airline’s Bali and Surabaya flights from Singapore continue to be suspended.

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Japan Airlines

JAL flew from Singapore to Tokyo three times per week in August 2020, using Boeing 777 aircraft.

This schedule continues for September 2020.

	Japan Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 3/wk

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Juneyao Airlines

Juneyao restarted once weekly Boeing 787-9 service each Friday to Shanghai in June 2020.

This was supposed to increase to twice weekly in July 2020, however that never happened and Friday only operation continued, as it does in September 2020.

	Juneyao Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 1/wk	➔	Sep 1/wk

Services are temporarily operating from Terminal 1 (previously, Juneyao used T4).

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KLM

KLM continues daily service from Changi to Amsterdam in September 2020 using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

	KLM Changi Departures
	Aug 7/wk	➔	Sep 7/wk

The airline is not currently extending its daily flight between Singapore and Bali, which ceased on 23rd March.

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Korean Air

Korean Air increased to three times weekly passenger flights from Changi to Seoul during August 2020.

This service continues in September 2020 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

	Korean Air Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 3/wk

Korean Air is temporarily operating out of Terminal 3, having previously been in T4.

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Lufthansa

Lufthansa restarted three times weekly Airbus A340-300 flights from Singapore to Frankfurt in August 2020, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The new schedule looks to have been a little ambitious for the carrier, with flights scaled back to once weekly on Fridays during September 2020.

	Lufthansa Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 1/wk

Lufthansa flights are operating from Terminal 3 at Changi, following the closure of Terminal 2 on 1st May 2020.

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Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines operated once-weekly flights from Changi to Kuala Lumpur during October 2020.

Services increase to five times weekly from 7th September 2020.

	Malaysia Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 1/wk	➔	Sep (fm 7th) 5/wk

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Philippine Airlines

In August 2020 Philippine Airlines operated three times weekly services to Manila.

This schedule continues for September 2020, with departure on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

	Philippine Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 3/wk

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Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways operated a single daily service from Singapore to Doha in August 2020, using a mixture of Airbus A350-1000 (all of which have Qsuite) and Qsuite-equipped Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Plans for a second daily service have been postponed, with the same schedule programmed for September 2020.

	Qatar Airways Changi Departures
	Aug 7/wk	➔	Sep 7/wk

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Royal Brunei Airlines

RBA has been continuing to serve its Singapore – Brunei route twice per week between May and August 2020, with Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

This schedule continues during September 2020, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

	Royal Brunei Changi Departures
	Aug 2/wk	➔	Sep 2/wk

Passengers who have spent at least 14 consecutive days in Brunei will be permitted to enter Singapore for general travel, including as tourists, from 8th September 2020, under the Air Travel Pass (ATP) scheme.

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Swiss International Air Lines

Swiss flew three of its Singapore – Zurich services per week in July and August 2020.

In September 2020, three times weekly flights continue on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

	Swiss Int’l Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 3/wk

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Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines planned five times weekly flights from Changi to Istanbul in August 2020, but actually only operated three times per week, using Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

In September 2020, service drops to twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays, using Airbus A330s.

This coincides with Star Alliance partner Singapore Airlines starting a once weekly Istanbul flight, including Turkish Airlines codeshare.

	Turkish Airlines Changi Departures
	Aug 3/wk	➔	Sep 2/wk

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Xiamen Air

Xiamen Air operated once weekly service to Xiamen and once weekly service to Fuzhou in August 2020.

For September 2020, the Xiamen service is retained on Wednesdays, however Fuzhou is no longer planned.

	Xiamen Air Changi Departures
	Aug 2/wk	➔	Sep 1/wk

  Totals

If all of these service changes recorded at the time of writing do indeed transpire at Changi in September 2020, here’s how the weekly passenger flight departure totals will look over the month.

• Currently: 183/wk
• Sep week 1: 181/wk
• Sep week 2: 194/wk
• Sep week 3: 198/wk
• Sep week 4: 202/wk

Of course this doesn’t come close to the usual 3,600+ weekly passenger departures from Changi, based on September 2019 data, however it is a small step in the right direction.

A word of caution

Not all of these planned flights and frequency increases will actually happen. Many are in anticipation of lockdown rules and travel restrictions easing, so we expect some airlines to push back their plans even further into October and potentially beyond that.

Remember this ‘snapshot’ schedule data is correct at the time of writing (30-31 August 2020) and unfortunately we don’t have time to make continual changes so it will not be updated. Always check with your operating airline for the latest schedule.

Airlines not operating at Changi in September

The following airlines are not currently operating passenger services at Changi and have no such flights planned for the month of September 2020.

We have also indicated the provisional planned service resumption date where known, though do remember this is subject to change depending on any shift in travel restrictions.

Airline	Planned restart	Airline	Planned restart
Air India	TBC	LOT Polish	26 Oct 2020
Air India Express	TBC	Malindo Air	1 Oct 2020
Air Mauritius	3 Oct 2020	Myanmar Airways International	2 Oct 2020
Air New Zealand	25 Oct 2020	Myanmar National	1 Oct 2020
Air Timor*	TBC	Qantas	TBC
Bangkok Airways	TBC	Regent Airways	TBC
Batik Air	TBC	Saudia	2 Nov 2020
Biman Bangladesh	25 Oct 2020	Shenzhen Airlines	1 Dec 2020
Chongqing Airlines	TBC	Sichuan Airlines	TBC
Druk Air	TBC	Spring Airlines	TBC
Ethiopian Airlines	2 Oct 2020	SriLankan Airlines	1 Oct 2020
Fiji Airways	TBC	Thai Airways	1 Nov 2020
GX Airlines	TBC	Thai Lion Air	26 Oct 2020
Hainan Airlines	TBC	United Airlines	3 Oct 2020
Hebei Airlines	TBC	US-Bangla Airlines	2 Oct 2020
IndiGo	TBC	VietJet Air	25 Oct 2020
Jeju Air	2 Oct 2020	Vietnam Airlines	25 Oct 2020
Lion Air	TBC	Vistara	TBC

* Operated by Druk Air

Summary

Changi Airport recorded a promising increase in passenger traffic during July 2020, no doubt assisted by increased transit flight approval for passengers connecting on SIA Group flights.

The trend should continue for August 2020, with transit rights unlocked across almost the entire Singapore Airlines network, however for September there seems to be a small increase in weekly flights.

In total passenger flight volumes increase from around 4.9% during the last week of August to 5.6% during the last week of September, still a far cry from any significant recovery.

With travel restrictions remaining in force globally, these small increases are likely all we’ll see for the rest of 2020 unless some reciprocal ‘green lane’ arrangements are reached with neighbouring countries for general and tourist travel.

Some airlines are even cutting back on their flight schedules in September, including Lufthansa and Turkish.

There are still 36 regular airlines not planning any return to Singapore until at least 1st October 2020, and in many cases even later in the year or with no firm date for restarting services at this stage.

Bottom line: Remember this is a ‘snapshot’ schedule as loaded in GDS and airline reservation systems at the time of writing (30-31 August 2020). We unfortunately don’t have time to keep the listing actively updated, so please check with your operating airline for the latest schedule.

(Cover Photo: Boeing)