Singapore Airlines (SIA) has increased its cargo capacity into Australia by 500-tonnes a week, to help ensure key supply chains and trade channels remain open.
The increase will see Singapore Airlines operate up to 10 cargo-only flights a week using passenger aircraft to Sydney and Melbourne, and twice-weekly cargo-only passenger flights to Brisbane.
These services will complement the airlines’ regularly scheduled cargo services of five-times weekly freighter operations to Sydney, four-times freighter flights to Melbourne and twice weekly cargo-only passenger flights to Perth.
Singapore Airlines Regional Vice President South West Pacific, Mr. Philip Goh, said the increase in capacity will help to meet demand from Australian exporters.
“We are seeing rising demand for capacity for both imports to, and exports from Australia,” Mr. Goh said.
“Pre-COVID-19, cargo demand was mainly met through the cargo capacity in the belly-hold of our 142-weekly passenger flights to and from Australia, supplemented by the five-times weekly all-cargo freighter services.
“The COVID-19 outbreak caused the cancellation of most of our passenger flights, affecting the ability of exporters to reach international markets.
“We have been working to restore capacity to support the industry. Increasing cargo capacity to Australia by adding cargo-only passenger flights to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will help support exporters who need to get their produce to markets across the globe.
“Since the middle of March, Singapore Airlines has moved more than 3000-tonnes of Australian produce and essential manufacturing supplies to international markets, as well as enabled the delivery of essential medical supplies, such as masks, COVID-19 tests and other medical equipment into Australia.
“We will continue to work with the industry to supply capacity to move exports and imports through these tough times.”
For more than 50 years Singapore Airlines has supported Australian exporters through the provision of belly-hold cargo capacity on passenger flights and regularly scheduled freighter cargo services.
Singapore Airlines continues to operate five-times weekly freighter services to Sydney and four-times freighter flights to Melbourne. The airline has also added more than 20 ad-hoc freighter flights and more than 130 cargo-only passenger flights between Singapore and Australia since April to Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne.
More recently, through the Australian Government’s International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) project, Singapore Airlines have committed to operate a weekly cargo-only flight for six weeks between Adelaide and Singapore.
Singapore Airlines is continuing to work closely with State, Territory and Federal Governments to mount additional cargo-only services under the IFAM program to help meet demand.
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