Scoot announces ATH as first European destination.

Scoot announces ATH as first European destination.

Code: We do not want to cannibalise SQ. What do you think? Discuss.

I ultimately think your postulation is bang on, TRB. They are very much sympatico with both the QF/JQ and VA/TT situation of wanting to ensure they have blanket coverage of a region in both a LCC AND full service sense, while ensuring that only their LCC offspring services the ports that require predominantly leisure Y loads (and mainly deep discount Y loads at that).

In terms of SQ it makes sense. They tried to service ATH seasonally but didn't succeed. Having flown SIN-ATH with SQ it did ok down the back but was sparsly filled in business. Granted it's a leisure/economy dominant route dictated by price, at least this way they can absorb the market.

I can see it working for Scoot given its 4X weekly and connects reasonably well to AUS connections. All depends on how well they can market it. I can see Istanbul being somewhere next on the Euro radar.

It seemed unlikely SQ were going to return to ATH given the poor load factors but Scoot may make it work.

 

Scoot could built a really cool European leisure network which doesnt make away anything from SQ. I cant see any airline launching flights to IST during their unstable political situation but SQ may give the route to Scoot. I could definitely see TXL, PRG, BUD working for Scoot.

Air Asia X is launching IST. Makes Scoot less likely to, and plus, D7 only has the range of the upcoming A330-900neo while Scoot has the range to go further into European mainland. Spanish destinations could also be on the radar in the near future.

Air Asia X has also announced Barcelona for later this year !

I'm impressed Scoot have announced this! However, the connections from Australia aren't very good. EX OOL and MEL there is a 7 hour transit in Singapore (which isn't always a bad thing when you consider Changi Airport) but on the way back its 20-22 hour stopover. Yikes!

22 hours in Singapore is alright - enough time to get in to town for a bit and get some sleep. The Crown Plaza at Changi is a great airport.

Disappointing news for someone who flies to Athens every year, and always opts for Star Alliance. Singapore Airlines got you there on a direct flight, with short layovers in Singapore from connecting AUS flights. This all but confirms SQ's long-term plans to ditch Athens, which before the economic troubles in Greece was a packed flight everyday. 

I'd still rather pay the extra and fly SQ to perhaps IST, DXB, or maybe FCO and then onto Athens.  

SQ yields on ATH have always been poor and the traffic mix is almost entirely leisure and VFR, but at the lower end of yield and with little cargo yield.  Recent years have seen more agressive ME carrier services with good enough connections for AU, so it's been a downhill slide.  It's called competition!

Remember, full planes dont always equal profit.  With the B772ER in the mix as well as all the above, it hasn't made for a profitable route. Neither does it constitute profit from the "greater network good,"  so it gets canned.  

SQ will still leverage their STAR partnerships with fares over IST or FRA for example, to give you a choice,....but not necessarily at the lowest price point.

I agree.... and this competition suits the leisure market, notwithstanding long layovers (e.g. 40h trip time on return to AU).  Layover time will not likely deter those driven primarily by price point, especially as it includes a stop in Singapore-  what a great city for a long layover.

For those wishing to make travel plans significantly influenced by frills/comfort/ergonomics/loyalty programme/connection time/etc., there are heaps of connections, as suggested by many, via *A partnerships (+2 stops from AU) or multiple 1-stop flights from AU capital cities via Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai.