Singapore Airlines at LGW

[Jamesrob637]

Singapore Airlines are to launch a LGW-SIN flight five times a week from June '24. This will be a good move for those in Kent, Sussex and parts of Surrey. Equipment TBC but likely A350, either in -900 or -1000 guise.

 

[gomango]

Dont see the point of this route! Already a good service to Heathrow!
In my opinion a service to Edinburgh or Glasgow a couple days a week would be a better option!

 

[Watershed]

Dont see the point of this route! Already a good service to Heathrow!

Airlines don't limit their choice of routes based on such factors. They will have analysed passenger demand and come to the conclusion that there is an untapped market which they can serve by flying to Gatwick. In effect the Gatwick route is an increase in the Heathrow frequency, just targeted to those who live south of the Thames - who previously might have chosen another airline because of the convenience factor of getting to Gatwick vs Heathrow.

In my opinion a service to Edinburgh or Glasgow a couple days a week would be a better option!

The market for air travel to/from London is probably at least an order of magnitude larger than that for Edinburgh or Glasgow. They might support a lower-capacity aircraft such as the Airbus A321, hence the significant increase in 'long, thin' transatlantic routes over recent years with the advent of the A321neo and A321LR.

But neither have anywhere near enough range to fly to Singapore, and even the smallest modern widebody (the Boeing 787-8) costs much more to operate.

 

[Peter0124]

I think Singapore might start up at Edinburgh at some point. It's a shame EDI/GLA have seperate airports.

An Edinburgh-Glasgow airport (Similar naming to Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina, USA) in the middle of the two cities in eg Falkirk area could've become an air hub of its own and had such services, shame it wasn't built and the existing two demolished.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Dont see the point of this route! Already a good service to Heathrow!

Gatwick and Heathrow serve different markets. Emirates understand this- they even serve Stansted too.

In my opinion a service to Edinburgh or Glasgow a couple days a week would be a better option!

It’s telling that long haul airlines aren’t doing much out of those cities. Emirates out of Glasgow do well but beyond that it’s thin. Etihad pulled out of Edinburgh because it wasn’t working for them, and Qatar only fly daily from Edinburgh. I don’t see why Singapore would be remotely interested.

 

[gomango]

Gatwick and Heathrow serve different markets. Emirates understand this- they even serve Stansted too.


It’s telling that long haul airlines aren’t doing much out of those cities. Emirates out of Glasgow do well but beyond that it’s thin. Etihad pulled out of Edinburgh because it wasn’t working for them, and Qatar only fly daily from Edinburgh. I don’t see why Singapore would be remotely interested.

I think that Singapore Airlines would probably run a route to Edinburgh or Glasgow if it was just one massive airport. Don't think there is enough demand just for Edinburgh or Glasgow. Suppose Gatwick does serve Brighton and South London
Thanks for the replies

 

[Peter0124]

and Qatar only fly daily from Edinburgh. I don’t see why Singapore would be remotely interested.

Qatar fly double daily to Edinburgh using A350s, I also heard rumours of a third daily service possibly being introduced too at some point in the future.

 

[cactustwirly]

I think that Singapore Airlines would probably run a route to Edinburgh or Glasgow if it was just one massive airport. Don't think there is enough demand just for Edinburgh or Glasgow. Suppose Gatwick does serve Brighton and South London
Thanks for the replies

And Gatwick has lower fees, so Singapore can offer cheaper fares than from Heathrow

 

[gomango]

Qatar fly double daily to Edinburgh using A350s, I also heard rumours of a third daily service possibly being introduced too at some point in the future.

Exactly there is demand!

 

[route101]

Qatar fly double daily to Edinburgh using A350s, I also heard rumours of a third daily service possibly being introduced too at some point in the future.

I reckon Emirates will be back at Edinburgh.

 

[jagardner1984]

Interestingly whilst GLA's recovery post Covid has been slower than at EDI, I know of many people over here in the west who will catch flights from Edinburgh regularly. Since transport to and from Glasgow Airport is mainly quite poor, off peak certainly if you are in the South or East of the City, it is not significantly greater travel time to Edinburgh Airport than Glasgow (in the context of a long haul flight).

Ultimately those kind of airports only work either on direct short haul (i.e. Sun Holiday locations or European City Breaks) or Hub feeding - either LHR or AMS, or indeed the Emirates into DXB.

I don't think point to point particularly works outside major hub airports, particularly on Long Haul, and I suspect a good portion of pax to any of the destinations I've mentioned are transiting, rather than visiting those cities in of themselves.

 

[zero]

I suspect it's more that they couldn't get a slot at Heathrow, or lease one at the right price, than a particular desire to serve the population of Surrey. If and when SIA gets a suitable slot they may decide to move this 4th (?) daily flight to Gatwick. They also need more planes. It is telling that Cathay has up to 5 daily flights from Heathrow to Hong Kong while they only managed to have one from Gatwick which has yet to restart after COVID.

For long haul on traditional airlines it is often willingness to pay for business class that makes or breaks a route and there isn't the demand from Gatwick. Plenty of people will drive from the Midlands and the north of England to heathrow, just as people across the central belt of Scotland will drive to either airport. Plus SIA being in Star Alliance can serve Scotland via connecting flights on Lufty etc.

 

[WestCoast]

It’s telling that long haul airlines aren’t doing much out of those cities. Emirates out of Glasgow do well but beyond that it’s thin. Etihad pulled out of Edinburgh because it wasn’t working for them, and Qatar only fly daily from Edinburgh. I don’t see why Singapore would be remotely interested.

I am not sure I fully agree there, I wouldn‘t underestimate the inbound demand to Scotland, in particular Edinburgh has very decent westbound long-haul services to the US and Canada from the likes of Delta, United, JetBlue (upcoming), Air Canada, WestJet and Virgin. Actually rather impressive considering the airport size compared to say Manchester or even Gatwick! Daily eastbound services heading east with the likes of Qatar and Turkish.

I could see Singapore operating something like Singapore - Edinburgh - Dublin, in the same way Hainan used to do Beijing - Edinburgh - Dublin. Also heard rumours of Ethiopian starting an Edinburgh service soon.

I suspect it's more that they couldn't get a slot at Heathrow, or lease one at the right price, than a particular desire to serve the population of Surrey. If and when SIA gets a suitable slot they may decide to move this 4th (?) daily flight to Gatwick. They also need more planes. It is telling that Cathay has up to 5 daily flights from Heathrow to Hong Kong while they only managed to have one from Gatwick which has yet to restart after COVID.

For long haul on traditional airlines it is often willingness to pay for business class that makes or breaks a route and there isn't the demand from Gatwick. Plenty of people will drive from the Midlands and the north of England to heathrow, just as people across the central belt of Scotland will drive to either airport. Plus SIA being in Star Alliance can serve Scotland via connecting flights on Lufty etc.

Quite a few long-haul services seem to have come and gone at Gatwick in the past few years, it’s a shame as I always think it’s actually a nicer airport to use than Heathrow.

 

[JetBlast]

likely A350, either in -900 or -1000 guise.

Singapore doesn’t operate the -1000