Singapore Airlines to commence Auckland & Christchurch services
- June 2, 2020
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Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced it will resume scheduled passenger services to Auckland and Christchurch as part of its minimum connectivity network. The re-instatement of twice-weekly services to Auckland and once-weekly services to Christchurch from Tuesday 9 June, will mark the first scheduled SIA passenger flights to the cities since the Airline ceased operations in March following the closure of New Zealand and Singapore’s borders due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Singapore Airlines General Manager New Zealand, Mr Kenny Teo, says the reintroduction of flights to the two cities is a small step towards re-establishing the Airline’s New Zealand network. “We are committed to ensuring New Zealand remains globally connected in a Covid-safe manner during these challenging times, whether it be keeping key trade channels open or allowing for essential travel to occur. Throughout the course of the pandemic we continued to operate our three-times weekly freighter services to ensure essential supplies reached New Zealand shores and exporters could continue to send their produce to markets around the world.
“Last week we announced the introduction of five-times weekly cargo-only passenger flights to Auckland to help meet increasing demand, and from Tuesday 9 June, two of these flights will operate as passenger and cargo services, while the other three will continue as cargo-only. While borders around the world remain closed, these flights will provide important cargo capacity for import and export between the cities and our global network, while allowing those who have an urgent need to travel, or return home, to do so. We continue to monitor the changing border restrictions globally and when appropriate, will make further changes to our minimum connectivity network.”
The addition of Auckland and Christchurch services to the minimum connectivity network will be in place from 9 June through to 31 July, however could be subject to change pending SIA’s continued review of the international travel environment.
Auckland will be serviced twice weekly with SQ285 departing Singapore at 00:05 on Tuesday morning and arriving in New Zealand at 13:40. The return flight will depart Auckland as SQ282 on Wednesday at 23:20 and arrive in Singapore the next morning at 06:10.
The second weekly service to Auckland will operate as flight number SQ281 departing Singapore at 08:45 on Friday, arriving in Auckland on Friday evening at 22:20. The return flight will operate as SQ286, departing Saturday afternoon at 15:15 and arrive in Singapore at 22:05.
The Christchurch service will operate as SQ297, departing Singapore on Sunday evening at 23:00 arriving in Christchurch at 12:40 Monday afternoon. It will then depart Christchurch on Tuesday at 09:00, arriving in Singapore at 15:50. Both flights will be operated by Singapore Airlines A350-900 aircraft.
Other destinations served as part of the minimum connectivity network include, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Narita, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai and Zurich.
