Singapore Airlines is upbeat on Indian operations as it mulls the possibility of more flights from the country.

According to David Lim, General Manager India, the airlinealready has 98 flights a week from 11 destinations in the country. And, plans are now afoot to have more in the coming days.

The 11 destinations from where Singapore Airlines and Silk Air – its sister concern – currently have services are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Kochi, Vizag, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad.

“We have not announced anything yet. But we do feel confident to add a few in the coming days. However, I can’t tell you from where,” he told BusinessLine during an interview.

Peak period

Peak period , Lim said, has already seen Singapore Airlines increase flight frequencies. For instance, in the December-January period, the company had nine flights a week from Kolkata, instead of seven a week (once a day). For the ensuing April-May period, it plans to have five flights a week, instead of four.

“We can add up to 10 more flights – to 108 per week – during the peak period,” he said adding that the company also adds capacity by bringing in bigger aircraft . For instance, in October 2017, , it operated Singapore Airlines flights in place of Silk Air .

Co-sharing with Vistara

Lim, however, ruled out beginning operations from smaller airports immediately. The smallest aircraft the company offers is a 150-seater; and for operations to be sustainable, at least two to three flights a week are required.

“We do not want to start operations and then withdraw all of a sudden,” he added.

Instead of Singapore Airlines starting international operations, it relies on its local partner, Vistara — the Tata-SIA run airline, to grow the market. Singapore Airlines has a 49 per cent stake in the full service carrier. Tatas own the remaining. “We have a partner in Vistara and we co-share with them to different cities and through these, we reach out to more tier-II and-III cities in India,” Lim said.

Overall occupancy rates or load factor across Singapore Airlines flights stand at over 80 per cent. “We gained two percentage points over last year,” he said.

While Lim did mention turnover or occupancy rates specific to India, he did maintain that the country was amongst the top 10 contributors towards the group’s global turnover.

Options open for Air India

According to Lim, Singapore Airlines will keep options open for Air India stake. The Centre, it may be recalled, has allowed foreign carriers to own up to 49 per cent in the national carrier.

“For us, the priority will be to expand Vistara. On the Air India issue, we are open. And that’s what Vistara has said too,” he maintained.

Asked for further clarifications, Lim said: “We are looking at all options.” He did not mention how Air India would be a fit especially when they have a local partner in Vistara.

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