Scoot eyes Melbourne flights from next year
Scoot, the new Singapore Airlines long-haul budget offshoot, may expand its Australian presence to include services to Melbourne.
The airline currently serves Sydney and the Gold Coast from Singapore, but could add Melbourne as early as next year when it takes delivery of new aircraft, according to its chief executive, Campbell Wilson.
Wilson told the Sydney Morning Herald the airline was mulling over whether to use new Boeing 777s (several are due for delivery in coming months) on existing routes or new destinations.
The low-cost airline began flying only last month. It flies from Singapore to Sydney and to the Gold Coast using B777-200s. More B777s are due to arrive, one in October and others next year. Scoot’s B777s (an aircraft type which the Qantas Group has never bought) have both business and economy cabins.
Scoot also flies to Bangkok from Singapore and will start flying to Tianjin near Beijing next month. Wilson said Scoot was seeing load factors of about 80% but yields could be better. The airlines has been pushing cheap fares to raise its profile in the region.
Scoot was the first airline secured for Sydney under the partnership between Sydney Airport and Destination NSW, augmented by Tourism Australia. The players say their strategy will continue to attract other new airlines and routes to Sydney.
Written by : Peter Needham
