Manchester: Singapore Airlines News & Flight Discussions

[Aviador]

Yet more inter continental reductions at Manchester Airport as Singapore Airlines announces that it is cutting 2 of it's 5 flights a week from November. This follows a previous cut from a daily service.

 

[Aviador]

The airline has announced that it is to up it's services back to 5 times weekly operating via Munich. The service will be operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The flights will depart Manchester on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and will depart Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

 

[backtrack]

After the above announcement of the new service using B773's, some of the flights may operate direct to SIN, using the current B772's.

Since, the SQ A380 service into LHR, MAN has suffered a drop from daily to five times weekly.

 

[backtrack]

Singapore Airlines, have agreed to move their operations from the currnt T2 to T1 for the start of the summer 2010.

Ongoing talks are at an "advanced" stage regarding the move of Monarch and Thomas Cook from T1 to T2. If this was successful, T2 would see all three major UK charter airlines operating from T2. (Thomson, Thomas Cook & Monarch)

 

[backtrack]

These aircraft really are huge, nearly looks too big for the apron here. This example visited Manchester on the 28/06/10, departed for SIA via MUC.

 

[LBA787]

Does anybody know how the route is doing?

I personally think it's MAN's flagship route and something I would be really proud of. Yes Emirates fly 3 times a day with the fat pig on the midday flight but there is something special about Singapore. It's especially seen as not many airports see them unlike the big 3 gulf carriers.

Last I knew it was operating via MUC 5 or 6 times a week. Is there any chance it will go direct again?

:crazy:

 

[User0001]

Route seems to be doing well.

Its now daily with the B77W. First class has been introduced and some day the loads hit the 200's, which is equivalent to about 90% load, which when you consider capacity is shared with MUC is no mean feat.

There is talk of direct once again with the A350.

 

[Dobbo]

Route seems to be doing well.

Its now daily with the B77W. First class has been introduced and some day the loads hit the 200's, which is equivalent to about 90% load, which when you consider capacity is shared with MUC is no mean feat.

There is talk of direct once again with the A350.

I have seen a story elsewhere that the singapore route may go via Düsseldorf with Munich as a standalone route?

Do we know how the loads are doing?

 

[User001]

It's a rumour at the moment, but my there is also a strong rumour of direct to SIN too. We will have to wait till tomorrow when DUS is announced.

 

[Dobbo]

It's a rumour at the moment, but my there is also a strong rumour of direct to SIN too. We will have to wait till tomorrow when DUS is announced.

Crickey. Announcement tomorrow?

Might it be the case that via DUS is in addition to via MUN? Or is a direct with an A350 more likely?

 

[User001]

Well, the ideal scenario is direct, but, if it means Manchester has a 2nd daily via DUS, I'll take that too.

It was said that the press launch for DUS will be tomorrow, so, we will find out if DUS is linked to MAN or elsewhere.

 

[andyc941]

An A350 would be nice,dose anyone know what aircraft will be used on the DUS route?

 

[Dobbo]

Well, the ideal scenario is direct, but, if it means Manchester has a 2nd daily via DUS, I'll take that too.

It was said that the press launch for DUS will be tomorrow, so, we will find out if DUS is linked to MAN or elsewhere.

Direct would be good, but I suspect twice daily would be a massive vote of confidence. Having a morning and an evening flight would be a big step forward.

 

[Dobbo]

An A350 would be nice,dose anyone know what aircraft will be used on the DUS route?

I guess it would be some variation of the 777 or A350. Can't see what else?

 

[User001]

I get the impression that the news via Dusseldorf may not be good news for MAN.

MAN is currently daily with the MUC tag. I don't think DUS would start off at daily for SQ, so, if the MAN-MUC leg is dropped in favour of MAN-DUS at less than daily, then that's quite a large drop in capacity for MAN.

SQ is already under pressure now that Cathay and Hainan are non-stop to Asia versus Singapores 1 stop service.

This is one bit of airline news I am nervous about.

 

[Dobbo]

Fingers crossed. As we know well there is a lot of capacity to airline hubs heading east from MAN. Having the stop at MUN would make routes beyond singapore (e.g. Australia, NZ, Japan?) less competitive vis a vis the one stop via Dubai, AUH, HK, et al.

Esp as they have multiple departure times to choose from.

Fingers crossed and I hope it's not a bad news day.

 

[Dobbo]

User, Andy - for info.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/1 ... dorf-route

Not what user had feared I think - no mention of MAN and the schedule timings do not seem to allow the time for an extension to the route. Obviously this could change in time.

The aircraft is an A359.

 

[Dobbo]

Of further interest to SIA's activity at MAN perhaps. Any thoughts?

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/t ... and-europe

 

[Dobbo]

Quote from SIA results briefing indicative of future strategy of non-stop services from MAN. As user has said previously, this may not translate into a daily service but it does suggest that MUN and MAN is likely to be decoupled:

"And these non-stop operations will provide us with a competitive advantage over anyone who has to stop in between, which means that as we all know, premium traffic, particularly business traffic, would actually prefer non-stops. So that would allow us to actually capture that traffic. There will be a preference for those non-stops."

 

[Dobbo]

put this on another forum but it may be of interest here. Credit Scotty Dog for the numbers.

I have an update on the route performance of CX and SQ Ex MAN in 2015. Suffice to say SQ does not come out too well, but considering the factors at play against the current SQ operation I feel there is much to be optimistic about for the future.

I should be clear that these figures are credited to "Scottie Dog" (SSC) and my understanding is that they are based upon the official CAA figures for the relevant period. This means that they include direct routes from MAN to the destination, they do not include indirect routes (e.g. MAN-DXB-SIN). In the case of MAN, only one airline service HKG and SIN directly and so calculations can be undertaken reasonably easily. It does not include PAX from MAN-MUC carried by SQ but does include PAX ex MAN who transfer at SIN.

(Hope that is all clear?!!)

SQs performance

In 2015 SQ carried 108,950 PAX from MAN-SIN. This is up 5,998 from 2014 (102,962). Based on a daily frequency, this works out at roughly 150PAX per flight (i.e. 300 per day). Although It has not been used for the entire period under review, if it had been, a 4 class B77W (268 seats) you are looking at a load factor of around 56%.

By way of historical comparison, in 2005 SQ carried 161,671. Over the past decade there has been a drop of 52,721.

This is disappointing. The overall market from MAN has not dropped (it did dip from the GFC) and long haul routes from MAN generally are booming. So what can be done to improve this? Fortunately, CX have provided the template for SQ to follow.


CX performance

In 2015 CX carried 124,172 PAX from MAN to HKG. This was the routes first full year of operations. It was 4x weekly on a 3 class B77W (no F) with 340 seats.

Based on this, they carried roughly 298 PAX per flight, representing a load factor of 88%. CX have been reportedly delighted with this, and want to make the route 8x weekly either with the B77W or A359. Crewing issues have frustrated that until 2017.

The non-stop element has been cited as a key factor in this success, but they have also code shared with a feeder airline into MAN and the departure time (12 noon ish) permits those connections. HKG is also an obscenely strong market for the UK in general.


Is there hope for SQ?

I think yes. The main issue facing SQ is that they are offering a stopping service which brings them into direct competition with a huge number of airlines, including the ME3, TK, BA, Swiss, KLM etc. This is irrespective of whether SIN is the O/D as for places like Australia or NZ (I.e. The major market) SQ essentially offer a two stop service whereas the ME3 offer a 1 stop).

Taking SIN on its own as a sector, the scheduled journey time for SQ MAN-SIN is 14:55. Without the stop it would likely be around 13:00. By comparison from MAN-SIN you are looking at the following connecting journey times:

Via AMS with KL: 15:00
Via LHR with BA: 15:05
Via FRA with SW: 15:15
Via ZRH with SW: 15:20
Via DOH with QR: 15:25
Via DXB with EK : 15:55

I have no figures to hand for EH or TK but they are not likely to be too far off this.

In summary, despite the serious competition faced by SQ and the relatively uncompetitive journey time and departure/connection options (in particular offering a two stop kangaroo service) they do very well from MAN, and over half of the plane on the MUC-SIN sector is travelling ex MAN despite the issues above. As an example of the competition, EK report that SIN is in their top 10 connections Ex MAN.

My feeling is that it can standalone on a daily basis using an A350. Making this change is likely to result in a significant boost to PAX numbers, particularly if it uses a brand new type of aircraft.

Of more concern to SQ, may be the MUC route. Could it standalone?

Happy to hear feedback and I hope this was of interest.