ETW Staff– Mumbai
Singapore Airlines has deployed Airbus A380 on select flights for customers flying to Mumbai and New Delhi from late May. The A380 superjumbo will operate daily to both Mumbai and New Delhi with effect from May 30, 2014, taking over from two daily flights that currently serve each city using smaller Boeing 777s. Another daily flight will continue to be operated with B777s. In total, 14 flights will serve each city per week.
Lee Wen Fen, senior vice president marketing planning, Singapore Airlines, said, “We have been keen to operate the Airbus A380 to India and are glad that the Air Services Agreement between Singapore and India now allows us to do so. India is a particularly important market for Singapore Airlines and we are very pleased that more of our customers will soon be able to experience the spaciousness and comfort of the world’s largest aircraft.”
David Lau, general manager – India, Singapore Airlines, added, “Singapore Airlines was the first airline in the world to operate the A380. The Singapore Airlines A380 not only has immense public appeal but also showcases our commitment to offer the best in-flight experience to our Indian travellers. Customers from India will now be able to enjoy the complete A380 experience from Delhi and Mumbai to our onward A380 destinations including Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Paris, Shanghai, Tokyo Narita and Zurich.”
Commenting on the operations of the A380 from Delhi, IP Rao, chief executive officer, Delhi International Airport, said, “We enjoy a close relationship with Singapore Airlines and the carrier remains a valued customer of our airport. A scheduled A380 service connecting Delhi to Singapore daily demonstrates Delhi’s emergence as a true world-class airport, supporting the world’s largest passenger commercial aircraft. Delhi was the first major airport in India to be A380 ready and today, I am glad to welcome Singapore Airlines A380 on its historic inaugural flight.”
Rajeev Jain, CEO, MIAL, said, “It’s an honour and a privilege to host the arrival of Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 at CSIA, Mumbai. Scheduling of A380 services further demonstrates Mumbai’s emergence as a world-class airport, which now supports routes to established and emerging markets across the globe.”
