Singapore Airlines doubles Melbourne A380 service

Singapore Airlines has started a second daily A380 service from Melbourne.

Flight SQ217 will arrive in Melbourne from Singapore at 19.15hrs and SQ218 will depart at 00.05hrs. Both flights will be operated by the all-upper deck Business class version of Singapore Airlines’ A380 fleet.

Singapore Airlines says it was the first airline to offer a daily A380 service from Melbourne (in September 2009) and is the first airline to offer a double-daily A380 service, making Singapore Airlines the largest international A380 operator from Melbourne.

Singapore Airlines’ three daily services from Melbourne offer connectivity to the airlines’ global network of over 100 destinations. Singapore Airlines’ regional vice president South-West Pacific Subhas Menon said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer our latest product to our customers inMelbourne. Offering the convenience of same day travel to London, Tokyo and Hong Kong, as well as early morning arrivals into Paris, Frankfurt or Bangkok, will continue to ensure that Singapore Airlines is in the best position to meet demand from Melbourne.”

Singapore Airlines claims it is Australia’s largest foreign carrier and currently operates 105 weekly services from the following cities:

• Adelaide– ten flights weekly operated with Airbus A330 aircraft.
• Brisbane– three flights daily with Airbus A330 aircraft.
• Melbourne– three flights daily with Airbus A380/Boeing 777-300 aircraft.
• Perth– three flights daily with Airbus A330/Boeing 777-200/Boeing 777-300 aircraft.
• Sydney– four flights daily with Airbus A380/Airbus A330/Boeing 777-300 aircraft.
• Darwin– four flights weekly with Airbus A319/Airbus A320 aircraft, operated by SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines.

It is uncertain what the change will have on cargo space as the A380 carries less freight than the Boeing 777 it replaces.