Singapore Airlines

Why Singapore Airlines is reducing Houston to less than daily service

Singapore Airlines (SIA) decided earlier this week to reduce capacity to Houston, which in late March will become the carrier’s only US destination without daily service. The decision to drop two of the seven weekly Boeing 777-300ER frequencies SIA currently operates on the Singapore-Moscow-Houston route is a response to low demand. Houston has been the worst performing US destination for SIA since the carrier began serving the Texas city in 2008.

Malaysia Airlines new business plan targets premium sector, following strategies of Cathay and SIA

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has unveiled a new business plan aiming to restore profitability by significantly cutting capacity and increasing focus on the premium sector, which includes the launch of a new regional premium carrier in 1H2012. Several business units including maintenance, cargo and ground handling are to be spun-off, most likely in 2012, as part of a bid to free up capital required to fund rapid fleet renewal and the reinvigoration of MAS’ core business. MAS will swiftly phase out its B747-400 and A330-200 fleets over the next year, leading to a 12% reduction in total capacity.

The decision to draft yet another new business plan at MAS, which has made multiple turnaround attempts over the years, hardly comes as a surprise following the landmark partnership agreement forged in Aug-2011 with long-time rival AirAsia. The agreement, which included an equity swap and the appointment of AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes to the MAS board, inevitably required MAS to downsize and abandon its attempt to compete with AirAsia at the low end of the market.

Sydney Airport divides terminals along alliance lines but risks alienating new carriers

Sydney Airport will narrow its competitive disadvantage of having separate domestic and international terminals with a plan to split its terminals by 2019 into two alliance-based precincts: one for Qantas and its partners and one for Virgin Australia and its partners. The two groupings will account for 81% of all movements. Leftover international carriers will in most cases use the Virgin terminal while a plan is underway to address leftover domestic and regional airlines, notably Tiger Airways and Regional Express. While the plan may placate the two big airline groupings in Australia, Sydney airport may face a shortfall of placement options for new carriers looking to offer their passengers onward domestic connections.

Sydney airport expects to formally begin stakeholder consulting with the aim of including the proposal in its 2014 master plan, which will be drafted in late 2013. Qantas and Virgin Australia, Sydney's two largest occupants based on movements and seats, have already given their support with the signing of a non-binding memorandum of understanding. The proposal will critically increase gates but not change slot restrictions, the airport's curfew or noise regulations.

In selecting Sydney as its first route, Scoot favours a low risk market with little competition

Scoot's selection today of Sydney as its first destination from its Singapore hub is a solid move from Singapore Airlines' new low-cost long-haul carrier. Scoot previously said it was looking to initially concentrate on Australia and China. There is no existing low-cost long-haul service from Singapore to Sydney or fifth-freedom rights from Emirates, unlike at Australia's second largest city, Melbourne.

The Singapore Airlines (SIA) group decided earlier this year to launch a low-cost long-haul carrier to re-capture some of the growth the group has lost over the past decade, especially to LCCs. Sydney is still a high O&D market SIA and Scoot can try to keep, unlike at Melbourne or the Gold Coast where AirAsia X and Jetstar have firmly planted themselves. Scoot's entry could be expected to galvanise the Malaysian government to finally let AirAsia X serve Sydney – likely before Scoot – and could cause the Qantas Group to consider unleashing its LCC subsidiary Jetstar in one of its last premium markets.

Beijing looms as competitive focal point for Scoot and Jetstar

Jetstar this week commenced flights between Singapore and Beijing on a timetable that was, uncannily or not, subsequently replicated by incumbent carrier Singapore Airlines to create its fourth daily service on the route. SIA's new service, due to commence 16-Dec-2011, arrives in Beijing at 1am and departs at 2am. But is that really a timetable appealing to SIA's premium traffic? Or has SIA started the route so it can be quickly handed over to its new low-cost subsidiary, Scoot, once it commences operations?

Singapore Airlines struggles to defend yields as fuel costs blow out and 'protracted' downturn looms

Singapore Airlines (SIA) faces a bleak outlook for its fiscal second half as fuel prices remain high and yields are at risk of dropping further due to the challenging economic conditions Europe. SIA mainline yields dropped 1% in the quarter ending 30-Sep-2011 (2QFY2011/12) despite the increase in fuel prices, suggesting passenger yields have peaked in the current cycle some 9% below pre-GFC levels in 2QFY2008/09.

In speaking to analysts during the group's 2QFY2011/12 earnings briefing, SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong warned the market conditions currently facing the carrier are in some respects more challenging than FY2008/09. “I think we are looking at a much more protracted type of economic issues now in Europe where we actually do not see any finality at least in how it’s going to go. So it is a protracted situation ... we might have to bear with it for perhaps a longer time than the last one,” Mr Goh said.