More destinations have been added to flights out of Changi International Airport as we move into the year end travel season. In the last quarter of 2013, Tigerair launches three new destinations, while SilkAir launches flights to Yogyakarta after launching Makassar and Surabaya flights last quarter. Read on as we compile the latest new routes and carriers flying from Singapore as well as shopping opportunities in the airport.
TIGERAIR FLIES TO LIJIANG, SURABAYA and YANGON
Tigerair launched Flights between Singapore and Lijiang China on 29 October. With three flights every fortnight, TR2922 departs Tuesday and Saturday in week one and on Thursday in week two at 9.15am arriving in Lijiang at 1.25pm. The return flight TR2923 departs Lijiang at 2.20pm on Tuesday and Saturday in week one and Thursday in week two, arriving in Singapore at 7.45pm. The 800-year old city in the Yunnan Province offers pristine landscape comprising snow-capped mountains and crystal clear streams. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today. It also launched six times weekly flights from Singapore to Surabaya and daily flights to Yangon.
Tigerair will also launch three new services in November to Chiang Mai and Langkawi (both four times weekly) as well as a thrice-weekly service to Lombok.
THAI AIRASIA FLIES DAILY TO KRABI
Thai Airasia will launch daily flights to Krabi from 25 November 2013. FD2321 departs Singapore daily at 1.20pm arriving in Krabi at 1.55pm while FD2320 returns to Singapore at 10.15am arriving at 12.55pm. Check out what you can do in Krabi here. Thai Airasia joins Tigerair as the only two airlines offering direct Singapore-Krabi flights.
UNITED AIRWAYS FROM BANGLADESH FLIES FROM CHANGI
United Airways (4H) started operations at Changi Airport on 4 November. It is the second carrier from Bangladesh to operate at Changi. It will operate thrice weekly service between Dhaka and Singapore using a 167-seater MD-83 aircraft. Not to be mistake with U.S. carrier, United Airlines (UA).
SILKAIR FLIES TO YOGYAKARTA
SilkAir launched its inaugural flight today to Yogyakarta, the gateway to the landmark Borobudur Buddhist Temple and Prambanan Hindu Temple. The subsidiary of Singapore Airlines joins Indonesia AirAsia and Tigerair which fly this route daily. Operating the Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft with Business and Economy Class, MI1523 departs Singapore on Monday, Friday and Sunday at 8.10am and arrives in Yogyakarta at 9.30am. The return flight MI151 departs Yogyakarta on the same days at 10.15am arriving in Singapore at 1.30pm.
BRITISH AIRWAYS 80 YEARS OF FLYING TO SINGAPORE
British Airways celebrates 80 years of flying to Singapore this year. The home of British High Commissioner Antony Philipson at Eden Hall became a fashion runway showcasing uniforms from the 1940s to today. Designed by renowned designers such as Hardy Amies, the former dress designer for HRH Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II, as well as Paul Costello and Julien MacDonald. A Choeng Sam uniform was introduced in 1986 for the Queen’s visit to China as well as the tartan colours of British Caledonian from the 1980s and the colourful disposable paper dress from the 1960s.
On 9 December 1933, the airline’s first regular service to Singapore departed London and took 10 days to reach Singapore. The inaugural flight to Singapore on the then Imperial Airways departed from Croydon, London and travelled via Paris, Brindisi, Alexandria, Cairo and Karachi. The one-way fare to Singapore then cost £180 which was just below the average yearly salary at the time.
Today, British Airways operates twice-daily flights to London Heathrow and a daily service to Sydney Kingsford Smith from Singapore. The airline has been named “Best Airline”, “Best Airport Lounge”, “Best Frequent Flyer Programme” and “Best First Class” by readers of BusinessTraveller magazine on 15 October 2013.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES EXPANDS CODESHARE WITH ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES
Singapore Airlines and Ethopian Airlines customers can enjoy seamless travel to more destinations from 3 December 2013. Codesharing will be expanded to Ethopian Airlines-operated flights between Singapore and Addis Ababa, Ethopia’s capital, via Bangkok. Ethopian Airlines will codeshare on Singapore Airlines-operated flights beyond Singapore to Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in Australia. Singapore Airlines will also codeshare on Ethopian Airilnes-operated intra-Africa flights from Addis Ababa to Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo, Accra in Ghana, Mombasa and Nairobi in Kenya, Kigali in Rwanda, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Entebbe in Uganda in the coming weeks subject to regulatory approvals.
DFS MASTERS OF WINES AND SPIRITS AT CHANGI
DFS Group hosts Masters of Wines and Spirits in partnership with Changi Airport Group. The third annual Masters of Wines and Spirits exhibition was attended by more than 400 VIP guests, passionate connoisseurs and collectors of fine wines and spirits. A two-day event was held at the National Museum of Singapore showcasing 79 masterpieces from 49 prestigious brands.
The collection will remain on display as well as be on sale within DFS concessions in Terminals 1,2 and 3 at Changi from 17 November till end February 2014.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 MODEL PLANE TAKES OFF
Built by Peter Michel and flown by Michael Bräuer, this Airbus A380-800 Singapore Airlines model is 4.8 metres long with a wingspan of 5.3 metres. It weighs 70.8kg and can actually take off, land and fly. The wing flaps actually move simulating its real counterpart.
