Singapore (Commonwealth Union)_ The newly revamped Changi Airport’s T2 will fully reopen in October 2023.
With departures to Nepal and the Maldives joining those bound for 10 other countries from 10th October, SIA’s route network from Changi Airport Terminal 2 will exceed pre-COVID levels.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will bolster its operations at Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 by introducing additional flights to the Maldives and Nepal beginning October 2023, according to a report by Mainly Miles. The news comes with the airport progressively reopening its newly revamped northern wing of Terminal 2.
Singapore Airlines mostly utilizes Terminal 2 for a diverse range of destinations in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines, among other destinations.
Terminal 2 at Singapore Changi Airport is continuing its progressive reopening, and will soon be home to 14 airlines, 13 of which operate exclusively at the terminal, including home carrier SIA, who use it for departures to some specific destinations and a wider mix of arriving flights.
Beginning 10th October, 2023, Singapore Airlines will expand its flight offerings from Terminal 2 by adding two new routes to its portfolio: Nepal and The Maldives, with this development representing significant progress toward the complete reopening of Terminal 2. This is a change that comes just a week after All Nippon Airways and Etihad also return to the facility, as it moves towards a full reopening.
Maldives and Nepal departures moving to T2
Singapore Airlines presently operates two daily departures to Male in the Maldives – SQ432 at 10.05am and SQ438 at 8.40pm – using Boeing 737-8 MAX and Airbus A350 Medium Haul aircraft, respectively.
There is also a daily flight to Kathmandu in Nepal that operates at 10.50 am on Tuesdays and Fridays on the Boeing 787-10 and at 6.55 pm on other days of the week using Boeing 737-800s, which will depart from Terminal 2, effective from 10th October 2023.
The first T2 departure to the Maldives, SQ432 to Male, will be departing at 10.05am, while the first T2 departure to Nepal, SQ440 to Kathmandu, will take place at 10.50 am.
From 10th October 2023, Singapore Airlines customers flying to Male in Maldives, or Kathmandu in Nepal should check in at Terminal 2.
It is worth noting that other terminals are also utilized by Singapore Airlines for departures. Terminal 3, for instance, is designated for long-haul international flights, including destinations in Japan, China, the United States, and various European cities such as Paris, London, and Frankfurt.
Terminal 2 has been gradually reopening since May 2022 as Changi Airport prepares to accommodate the anticipated rise in passenger traffic in the upcoming months. Once fully reopened, T2 will increase its handling capacity to 28 million passengers per year, an increase from the previous 23 million capacity when the terminal was temporarily closed in May 2020 for upgrades during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On its path to recovery
The increased capacity of SIA’s home airport is particularly important as the airline is on its way to reaching pre-pandemic passenger traffic levels. In August 2023, the Singapore Airlines Group carried 90% of the passengers it transported in August 2019, surpassing the 2.08 million passengers carried in August of the previous year.
In August, the Singapore Airlines Group, which encompasses both Singapore Airlines and the budget carrier Scoot, transported 2.99 million passengers with a passenger load factor (PLF) of 88.2%.
To provide context, in August 2019, the Group served 3.31 million passengers with a PLF of 86.4%, while in 2022, it accommodated 2.08 million passengers with a PLF of 85.4%. Remarkably, despite carrying 43.5% more passengers than in 2022, the Group effectively managed capacity growth, increasing available seat kilometers by just 26.3%.
Interestingly, the airline recorded its lowest load factor of 81.4% in East Asia, with borders reopened in China, compared to the highest of 90.8% in Europe. The PLF reached 89.7% in the Southwest Pacific, 89.6% in the Americas, and it was 83.2 % in West Asia and Africa.
According to Planespotters.net, when it comes to its fleet, SIA has a total of 150 aircraft in its fleet which comprises 63 Airbus A350s, 26 Boeing 777s, 23 Boeing 737s, 19 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 12 Airbus A380s, and 7 Boeing 747 freighters.
