Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines Boeing 747

Singapore Airlines (abbreviated SIA, Chinese: 新加坡航空公司, Pinyin: Xīnjīapō Hángkōng Gōngsī, abbreviated: 新航) is the national airline of Singapore. It uses the IATA call code SQ.

One of Asia's most influencial and successful airlines, it has a major presence in most parts of Asia and Oceania, as well as having major operations in Europe and North America. Most of the flights to Southeast Asia, as well as smaller cities in China and India are handled by her regional subsidiary, Silkair, while her cargo operations are handled by Singapore Airlines Cargo. The combined entity is the world's second largest carrier by market capitalisation, and ranked amongst the global top 15 in terms of Revenue Passenger Kilometres according to Air Transport World (http://www.atwonline.com).

Subsidiaries and Alliances

The Singapore Airlines Group comprises of several separate companies, all of which are 100% owned by the parent company:

• Silkair
• Singapore Airlines Cargo
• Singapore Airport Terminal Services
• Tradewinds Tours & Travel
• SIA Engineering Company

The airline owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways, the transaction being completed on the 30th March, 2000.

Singapore Airlines also owns a 49% stake in Tiger Airways, a low-cost carrier flying from Singapore.

It previously owned 25% of Air New Zealand (diluted to 4.5% after the New Zealand Government bought into the airline to rescue it from bankruptcy) and is a prominent member of the worldwide Star Alliance, which it joined in April 2000.

The airline have code-share agreements with the following airlines:

• Air Canada
• Air India
• Air New Zealand
• All Nippon Airways (from 1 August 2004)
• Austrian Airlines
• American Airlines
• BMI British Midland
• Japan Airlines (on Singapore Airlines Cargo)
• Lufthansa Airlines
• Royal Brunei Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines System (on Singapore Airlines Cargo)
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic Airways

History

Early History

Singapore Airlines began as "Malayan Airways Limited" in 1946, mounting its first flight on the the 1st of May, 1947. It started off flying an Airspeed Consul twin engined airplane between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, and Penang (two cities and an island of what is now called West Malaysia).

The remainder of the 1940s was a growth period for Malayan Airlines, as was the 1950s. World War II had just finished and people around the world wanted to travel, a privilege that they had sometimes been denied because of the situation worldwide during previous years, and residents of Singapore and Malaysia were no exception. By 1955, Malayan Airlines' fleet had grown to include a large number of Douglas DC-3s.

In 1963, the creation of the Federation of Malaysia brought a change of name, to "Malaysian Airways". In 1966, the name was changed again, this time to "Malaysia Singapore Airlines" (MSA), following Singapore's departure from the Federation of Malaysia the previous year.

MSA ceased operations in 1972, when political disagreements between Singapore and Malaysia resulted in the formation of two new airlines: Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. Singapore's airline company had 10 aircraft at that time. However, Singapore Airlines' hostesses continued to wear the sarong kebaya dress, which had previously been used by MSA. While airlines in Western countries shied away from recruiting young women, Singapore Airlines promoted the image of the 'Singapore Girl' in its advertising.

Modern History

Singapore Airlines saw rapid growth. during the 1970s, adding many cities in the Indian subcontinent and Asia to the 22 city network it already served, and acquiring Boeing 747 airplanes. During the 1980s, the United States, Canada, and many European cities joined Singapore Airlines' route map. During this time, Madrid became the first and only Hispanic city to be served by Singapore Airlines. In the 1990s, Singapore Airlines began flights to Johannesburg in South Africa, the first African destination for the airline, with the cities of Cape Town and Durban being added.

During the 1990s, Singapore Airlines licensed model aeroplane companies like Schabak, Wooster plastic aeroplanes, Herpa Wings and many others, to manufacture promotional plane models for them. Their Boeing 747's became known as the Megatops, and they ordered Boeing 777 and Airbus equipment to complement the Megatops.

In 2004, SIA began operating the world's longest nonstop airline route, from Changi to Newark. The 18-hour flight is operated with A340-500 aircraft.

Singapore Airlines has an enviable reputation in the air transport industry. It is generally regarded as world's leading airline and has won "World's Best Airline" and "Airline of The Year" awards several times.

Significant Incidents

On 26 March, 1991, Singapore Airlines Flight 117, piloted by Captain Stanley Lim on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, was hijacked in mid-flight by four Pakistanis, led by Zahid Hussain Soomro, demanding that the plane be flown to Sydney. The crisis ended at Singapore Changi Airport, where all four were killed by SAF Commandos, with non of the 123 passengers and crew suffering injury or death.

On 19 December, 1997, SilkAir Flight 185, piloted by Captain Tsu Way Ming, plunged into the Musi River in Sumatra during a routine flight from Jakarta to Singapore killing 104 people on board.

On 31 October, 2000, Singapore Airlines Flight 6, flying on a Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore-Chiang Kai Shek International Airport,Taipei, Taiwan-Los Angeles International Airport,Los Angeles, California route, crashed during takeoff from Taipei for its second leg, killing 79 passengers and 3 crew members.

Aircraft Fleet

Main article: Singapore Airlines fleet

Singapore Airlines operates one of the youngest fleets in Asia. Its streamlined fleet features aircraft from just 3 aircraft families, including the Boeing 747, the Boeing 777, and the Airbus A340. It is a launch customer for the largest passenger aircraft yet proposed, the Airbus A380, and will be the first airline in the world to operate it when it comes into service.

Notes

• 6 of the Boeing 747-400s were withdrawn from regular operation since the SARS crisis in the year 2003. Another 2 more were withdrawn later, and all 8 will be sold to two airlines from the year 2006 to 2008, after being converted into freighters. There is a possibility they may be transfered to Singapore Airlines Cargo,as an addition to its strong 14 B747-412F fleet dubbed MegaArk.
• The Boeing 777 planes on order/option can be for any model in the aircraft family type (except for the Boeing 777-300ER, which were part of a separate order signed in August 2004)
• All 5 Airbus A310-300s, powered by PW4152 engines, have been withdrawn from the fleet.
• The airline have a history of dubbing her fleet according to plane makes. The existing Boeing 747-400s are dubbed "Megatop", while the Boeing 777s are called "Jubilee". The Airbus A340-500s were named "Leadership," but that has since been droped.
• A listing of previously used names includes "Superbus" for the Airbus A300, "3TEN" for the Airbus A310-300, "Celestar" for the Airbus A340-300,"Super B" for the Boeing 747-200B, "Big Top" for the Boeing 747-300.
• Singapore Airlines flew, for a short period of time, a Concorde that it shared with British Airways. The plane had Singapore Airlines' livery on one side, and British Airways' logo on the other.

Flight Numbers

Main article: Singapore Airlines flight numbers

In general, the flight numbers are allocated according to geographical regions as follows:

• SQ001-SQ049: North America-bound destinations
• SQ050-SQ199: Southeast Asia-bound destinations
• SQ200-SQ299: Oceania-bound destinations
• SQ300-SQ399: Europe-bound destinations
• SQ400-SQ499: South Asia, Southwest Asia and Africa-bound destinations
• SQ500-SQ599: Unutilised
• SQ600-SQ699: Supplementary flights
• SQ700-SQ799: Unutilised
• SQ800-SQ949: Greater China and Korea-bound destinations
• SQ950-SQ999: Japan-bound destinations
• SQ1000-SQ1099: North America codeshares via Air Canada
• SQ2000-SQ2299: Europe codeshares via Lufthansa Airlines
• SQ2500-SQ2699: Europe codeshares via Virgin Atlantic
• SQ2700-SQ2899: Europe codeshares via Austrian Airlines
• SQ2900-SQ2999: Europe codeshares via BMI British Midland
• SQ3000-SQ3999: Singapore Airlines Cargo flights
• SQ5000-SQ5099: Southeast Asia codeshares via Silkair
• SQ5100-SQ5499: Southeast Asia codeshares via Royal Brunei Airlines
• SQ5900-SQ5999: East Asia codeshares via All Nippon Airways
• SQ6000-SQ6199: Oceania codeshares via Ansett Australia, now defunct
• SQ6200-SQ6999: Oceania codeshares via Air New Zealand
• SQ7000-SQ7999: Singapore Airlines Cargo flights

Destinations

Main article: Singapore Airlines destinations

Other facts of interest

See also

• Singapore Airlines destinations
• Singapore Airlines fleet
• Singapore Airlines flight numbers

de:Singapore Airlines fr:Singapore Airlines zh-cn:新加坡航空

External Links

• Singapore Airlines Homepage (http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/app/saa)