Singapore Airlines (SIA) plans to return Airbus A380 services to Melbourne over the busy summer holiday period.
One of SIA’s four daily flights between Melbourne and Singapore will switch to the four-class A380 featuring suites (first), business, premium economy and economy between October 30 and March 25 2017, the airline said in a statement on Tuesday.
The schedule change continues SIA’s recent practice of upgauging to the A380 for Melbourne during peak periods.
SIA regional vice president Tan Tiow Kor said the move represented a five per cent increase in capacity to Melbourne.
“Ensuring we are providing greater opportunities for Victorians to travel to Singapore and beyond on a range of premium cabin options reinforces our commitment to the Victorian market,” Tan said in a statement.
SIA, a Virgin Australia major shareholder and alliance partner, has scheduled the A380 on the SQ217 morning departure from Singapore and SQ218 overnight service from Tullamarine.
The airline had offered once daily year-round A380 service to Melbourne until October 2014, when the aircraft was deployed onto other routes. (The Star Alliance member began A380 services to India in late 2014.) Since then, it has used the world’s largest passenger aircraft on a seasonal basis to Tullamarine.
Earlier this year, SIA announced it would use its newest aircraft, the Airbus A350-900, on the Singapore-Melbourne route from September 1 to October 22. The A350, currently flying to Amsterdam and Dusseldorf, features SIA’s newest generation business class, premium economy and economy.
