Singapore Airlines loses a quarter of its passengers

[NM]

From news.com.au:

SINGAPORE Airlines continues to be hit by the global financial crisis with the carrier shedding a quarter of its passenger numbers during the past year.

I hope they find the passengers before the get too hungry :shock:.

 

[anat0l]

From news.com.au:

I hope they find the passengers before the get too hungry :shock:.

1. Tell me one carrier in the world that has not been affected at all by the GFC.
2. Almost every major carrier has been affected in some regard (even the so-it-appeared robust Qantas), so why is this news.
3. Tell me this isn't slow news day?

Seriously.

 

[oz_mark]

Tell me this isn't slow news day?
Seriously.

Singapore Airlines released its May 2009 traffic statistics on Tuesday, which put some hard numbers on how bad it actually has been. I am sure that the statisticions are interested

 

[ANstar]

QF lost about 10% of their international pax in April, so will be interesting to see what May is like for them. I think May is generally a quieter month in Aus for international travel.

 

[dajop]

SQ have been rather aggressive in cutting capacity, so this is not surprising. They have chosen to do this, whilst trying to maintain fares, although as we have witnessed recently, they have capitulated and cut fares at last.

Personally , whilst I do like SQ's product, it's pretty hard to choose them (for example to MEL) when EK and QF are offering similar (in some instances substantially lower fares) that earn points and status. Likewise for leisure ex-SIN against 3K and TR, no points brings it pretty much back to price competition on short sectors where meals and IFE are not a factor.

 

[oz_mark]

QF lost about 10% of their international pax in April, so will be interesting to see what May is like for them. I think May is generally a quieter month in Aus for international travel.

The benefit of looking at May figures over the March or April figures is that the Easter effect is removed. Easter being in March last year and April this year had a bit of a distorting effect on year on year numbers. This problem is not present in comparing May 2008 and May 2009 figures.

 

[MAX_1]

The benefit of looking at May figures over the March or April figures is that the Easter effect is removed. Easter being in March last year and April this year had a bit of a distorting effect on year on year numbers. This problem is not present in comparing May 2008 and May 2009 figures.

When I check my sales figures for the months of march/april, I combine the 2 months for comparison to the previous year. Maybe this method will show are more realistic result.

 

[mysavings789]

1. Tell me one carrier in the world that has not been affected at all by the GFC.
2. Almost every major carrier has been affected in some regard (even the so-it-appeared robust Qantas), so why is this news.
3. Tell me this isn't slow news day?

Seriously.

Well said anatOl. This is not really surprising. Added to GFC is the swine flu outbreak. A lot of people will prefer to stay at home rather to travel around the world.

 

[JohnK]

It is sad to see an airline making schedule changes 6 months out. I have an award flight BKK-SIN on SQ in early January 2010 and I received an SMS the other day that my flight was cancelled. The original flight would have departed BKK at 3:40pm and they put me on the 11:15am flight which would have meant ~10:00 hours transit in SIN. I managed to convince the customer service agent to put me on flight departing BKK at 6:30pm and I now only have a ~2:30 hour transit in SIN.

Personally , whilst I do like SQ's product, it's pretty hard to choose them (for example to MEL) when EK and QF are offering similar (in some instances substantially lower fares) that earn points and status.

It all depends on where you want to go and when you want to travel.

I have an award flight on SQ to SYD-BKK return leaving Boxing Day and returning early January with a 1 night stopover in SIN on the way there. My friend will be ready to book his flights in a week or so and we have been looking at the options. He will be departing Boxing Day and returning mid January but wanted a direct flight instead of via SIN.

Emirates ~$1550 (was $1,300 a month ago)
Qantas/BA ~$1630 (only option is QF302 on return or JQ for the same price)
Singapore ~$1280 (non mile earning with optional stopover in SIN)
Singapore ~$1360 (mile earning)

Why choose QF or JQ? Better WHY product? Better service? I have managed to convince my friend saving $270 and transitting SIN is better than the direct option. I will see if I can convince him to pay an extra ~$80 for the miles as well and spend the night in SIN.

 

[djfuzz]

In the context of all that has come before, are you sure this isn't a setup for a follow up article trumpeting how Flight Centre vanquished SIA, and putting pressure on SIA to come crawling back to them?

 

[vet]

Over the weekend the Herald Sun claimed IATA figures showed airlines including Qantas and Singapore were around a mere 1% - 2% above the 70% needed to break even. Maybe this article is just a rehash. Or Singapore's missing passengers are at a bar with Qantas' missing passengers.

 

[Saji]

I am not surprised at all. SQ now takes its regular customers for a ride just like what it did to the Flight centre.

I am a Krisflyer GOLD member and its absolutely no value being a Gold with Krisflyer. You will be disappointed once you reach this status to find that the benefits are rubbish. I would rather stick with a Qantas Gold.

 

[jaffa]

SQ's problems are now not just with FC.

India's travel agents association have anounced this week that they are taking a similar line to FC, in there case they don't recieve any commisions from SQ at all and have had enough as well. They have announced an outright refusual to sell SQ tickets full stop.

The same SQ rebuttal is happening in Spain as well. Only there travel agents are putting presure on the government to act. There statements have given the Spanish government 6 months to act or they will withdraw from selling SQ tickets as part of *A RTW tickets.

SQ just can't pull a trick at the moment. Even there top tier Kriss flyers are in revolt.

 

[Evan]

<..>
SQ just can't pull a trick at the moment. Even there top tier Kriss flyers are in revolt.

Have been for 2 years or so !

Not to mention i dont care what anybody else thinks i think there service has slipped a lot in the last couple of years. Atleast in whY and the lesser number of J services. Still they are my number 1 non OW choice. Still very good just not as good as they use to be i think.

Or maybe living here in Singapore i understand them more

 

[dajop]

Still they are my number 1 non OW choice. Still very good just not as good as they use to be i think.

THey are good, but out of your own pocket would you pay $$150-180 SGD more to fly them return to SIN-KUL over Jetstar, Air Asia or Tiger? Or $180SGD more to fly them SIN-BKK or SGN over the three LCCs (and this is for fares without points)? IN Aus, if paying personally I was happy to pay a small premium to fly QF over LCC, as you get points, status credits etc. Here in SIN the differentials are much bigger and usually there are no points for gathering in the process, as the lower "sale" SQ fares come without points. Net result now that I'm in SIN I find myself flying TG, EK, QF, 3K, AK, TR, MH, CX but very few SQ flights due to their lack of points offering and/or expensive fares.

 

[Evan]

Depending on where your heading and as long as you only want Y (You can pay for rows like exit rows a little extra) the 5J is worth a look also.
I like 3K due to being T1 and i can use my QP
And of course CX (+KA) is for sure my OW airline of choice in Asia. Pity they always have such insane fares to HKG but a good or corperate travel agent will get fares better than SQ nearly always.

Edit: And for those wondering 5J is Cebu Pacific. Flys to Ph and from there all around the place, typical LCC operation.

 

[dajop]

Depending on where your heading and as long as you only want Y (You can pay for rows like exit rows a little extra) the 5J is worth a look also.
I like 3K due to being T1 and i can use my QP .

Been considering 5J. I'd like to get back to Boracay or one of the many nice island/beach areas in Philippines. AK is OK as well for T1 access to the QP (for WP's of course).