Singapore Airlines Restructures New Zealand Services
In response to softening demand for international air travel, due to the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS), Singapore Airlines (SIA) has today announced that it will be restructuring its services to and from New Zealand
for the period 11 May to 31 May, with a possible extension into June.
This restructuring will re-route the current B777-200ER aircraft service from Christchurch through Auckland three times
a week to replace three of the daily B747-400 services between Auckland and Singapore.
The temporary change to the routing of the Christchurch flight has no effect on the frequency of departures from
Christchurch or Auckland but rationalises capacity to match current demand.
Singapore Airlines General Manager New Zealand, Mr C W Foo, said this re-routing was a practical way to ensure minimal
disruption to passengers.
"We are linking our Christchurch and Auckland services using a circular routing, so our B777-200ER flight from
Christchurch will stop over in Auckland before proceeding on to Singapore. This solution ensures that we continue to
operate daily services into Auckland and five weekly services from Christchurch to Singapore," Mr Foo said.
Mr Foo said the restructure of services to New Zealand was part of SIA's international response to reduced demand, which
has seen the airline cut 28.9 per cent of its total capacity worldwide during May.
SIA will contact New Zealand passengers to provide details of the changes affecting services.
Mr Foo said passengers in transit through Singapore to and from New Zealand could be assured that the Singapore
Government was taking full and stringent measures to contain the spread of SARS. Measures being applied at Changi
airport are designed to protect passengers by ensuring all users of the terminal are not showing symptoms of SARS.
This was reinforced by the New Zealand Ministry of Health's official travel advice that "the risk of getting SARS is
minimal while in transit in an airport." ***