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lower, most of the fleet was Casting an eye on the crys- A real shining light for
kept operationally ready to add tal ball Goh says that despite
capacity, Goh said. “So, we were cost of living and inflationary Singapore Airlines is
able to put back capacity quickly pressures the airline feels that its 49% joint venture
and just about always we were demand is still quite robust and airline in India with
the first whenever a border was demand across all cabins is
opened.” strong. But he warns “there are Tata for Vistara.
certainly challenges for aviation. With Tata acquiring Air India -
The airline also used Inflation is one of them along and SIA was its advisor – Vistara
with global macroeconomic
the COVID period uncertainty and some of the geo- is to be integrated into Air India.
to put a transforma- political tensions that we’ve been Goh says that integration now
tion program in place seeing that are intensifying. has the blessing of the com-
petition commission of India.
which had more than a “So, all these are factors that “There are a few other regulatory
would affect the demand for avi-
hundred initiatives. ation for airlines, but these are approvals that have to be made,
not really factors or challenges but we believe it’s on track.”
that we have not seen before in When the deal is completed,
Goh explains that the trans- aviation industry. SIA Group will own 25.1% of the
formation program focused on combined entity, which com-
better serving customers, looked The airline is now at 92% of pre prises Air India, Express Asia
at new revenue management COVID capacity but Goh says India and Vistara. “We started
systems, enhanced revenue there a number of factors slow- with that joint venture because
management capabilities and ing capacity. “As you know there there is actually a lot of synergy
also enhanced productivity is the aircraft capacity and some that can be established between
within the organization. aircraft are running late while India and Singapore.”
“The combination of all that was, some borders have been slow Any way you look at Singapore
to reopen, particularly related to
that we’ve had record profits, China and that market will take a Airlines you see excellence and
and gained the recognition as little time to fully recover.” innovation and that has led to
one of the top 50 most admired a richly-deserved reputation as
company by Fortune magazine. Singapore Airlines has experi- one of the world’s great airlines.
And that is ranked by executive enced delays on the 787-10 and That nonstop innovation was
in other companies across many the 20 777-9s it has ordered are underscored to the author a
industries. And at the same not due to start arriving till late number of years ago when an
time, we were also ranked as 2025. Backbone of the long-haul elderly and very infrequent flyer
the most attractive employer in fleet is the A350 with the airline’s said “I fly Singapore Airlines
Singapore,” Goh said. roster made up of 32 long-haul,
24 medium-haul and 7 ultra because they give you free
long-haul models. The airline drinks.”•
has retained 12 A380s which
it uses on key routes such as
London.
Singapore Airlines 787-10.
ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2024 | 9
