SIA to Increase Copenhagen Schedule Following SAS JV Approval

Singapore Airlines will increase its services between Singapore and Denmark’s capital Copenhagen, following final regulatory approval for a joint venture with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).

SIA currently operates three round-trips a week between Singapore and Copenhagen. Subject to airport slot availability, Singapore Airlines’ schedule frequency on the route will increase to five flights per week from March 31, 2013.

Star Alliance partner Scandinavian Airlines will add its ‘SK’ flight code to the flights.

Singapore Airlines has 13 Boeing 777-200ERs in its fleet, which also contains 777-300ERs, 777-300s and 777-200s as well as a sizable number of Airbus aircraft

The Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) confirmed on November 1 that it had cleared the joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines. As announced in May, the partnership will encompass joint operations, including coordination of flight schedules and joint sales activities.

“We are very pleased to announce an increase in frequency to Copenhagen now that regulatory approvals have been obtained for our wide-ranging partnership with SAS,” says Mak Swee Wah, Singapore Airlines’ executive vice president commercial. “We look forward to further building on our ties with SAS to provide more travel choices for our customers.”

Singapore Airlines and SAS have been codesharing since December 2010. SIA adds its code to SAS-operated flights beyond Copenhagen to Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm, while Scandinavian Airlines has been codesharing on SIA-operated flights between Copenhagen and Singapore, and on selected flights between Singapore and Bangkok.

The two airlines are currently discussing expanding their codeshare ties, according to Singapore Airlines, which says new services between Singapore and Scandinavia will also be explored, subject to market conditions.

From March 31, Singapore Airlines’ expanded schedule between Singapore and Copenhagen will see flight SQ 352 leaving Singapore Changi International Airport (IATA code SIN) at 12:05 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and arriving at Copenhagen Airport (CPH) on the same days at 6:45 a.m., local time.

In the other direction, flight SQ 351 is timed to depart CPH on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. and reach SIN at 6:30 a.m. the following day, local time.

Singapore Airlines operates its Singapore-Copenhagen service with Boeing 777-200ER widebodies.