Singapore Airlines locks in additional flights to Brisbane

Singapore Airlines’ distinctive tail is a frequent sight in Brisbane, with 21 flights jetting between Singapore and the Queensland capital every week. But that isn’t stopping it adding more, with an extra four now cleared for takeoff from August.

From August 4, the Star Alliance member is ramping up to four flights a day every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, complementing its existing three-times daily Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

• SQ266 will see wheels up from Brisbane at 6:10pm, and wheels down in Singapore just after midnight at 12:10am local time.
• On the return, SQ265 takes off from Singapore at 7am, and lands in Brisbane at 4:35pm.

All flights will be on its medium-range Airbus A350, which is fitted with 40 regional business class seats delivering lie-flat comfort for the sub-8 hour hop.

Brisbane Airport’s Executive General Manager of Aviation, Ryan Both, says the increase is “a welcome recognition of strong passenger demand at Brisbane Airport”, while praising the airline’s “high standard of service, stable year-round schedule and great connectivity.”

SQ’s boosted presence is another feather in the cap for Brisbane Airport, which has seen its departure board swell in recent years on the back of the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund – a $200 million ‘war chest’ jointly funded by the Queensland Government.

Among the other global carriers enticed by the fund are China Southern, Korean Air and EVA Air, in addition to United, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, with the latter two taking wing to Dallas and Los Angeles respectively later this year.

Qatar Airways has also signalled its desire to boost connections to Brisbane, and despite the controversial knock back to a request to do so last year, the airline’s new CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer confirms more flights to Australia are still on the priority list.

Singapore Airlines currently offers 126 flights a week between Australia and its Singapore hub, covering Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.