Sunday, July 30, 2017

Singapore's Scoot to fly to Kuching and Kuantan by early 2018

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s low-cost airline Scoot, which successfully merged with Tigerair Singapore this month, will fly to Kuantan, Pahang and Kuching, Sarawak by the the first quarter of next year.

The medium- to long-haul arm of the Singapore Airlines Group will service the Kuching route seven times a week by end-October this year; and Kuantan three times weekly by the first quarter of 2018.

Scoot is also maintaining the four routes previously serviced by Tigerair in Malaysia – Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Penang – using the Airbus A320.

"Competition is just part of the business… with any carrier… whether in Malaysia or other routes, we have to face it. We have to compete," said Scoot's chief executive officer Lee Lik Hsin on the competition Scoot will face from local low-cost airlines like AirAsia.

Asked on why Kuantan and Kuching were chosen, Lee said: “Why not? We are very encouraged by our expansion in Malaysia. We see more opportunities in Malaysia."

On whether Scoot will expand its route network in Malaysia, he said: "It depends on how well we do on the new routes. "We have a good base line there."

Honolulu, Hawaii; Harbin, China; and Palembang, Indonesia are the other three routes introduced by Scoot today.

Coupled with Tigerair’s network, the five new services will bring Scoot's total destination count to 65 in 18 countries.

The airline reached a milestone carrying over 50 million guests since it started operations in 2012, and now operates a fleet of 14 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 23 Airbus A320, with six more Dreamliners and 39 A320neo aircraft on order.

The new route launches come nine months after Scoot and Tigerair announced their intention to pursue a single brand and operating licence under the enhanced Scoot brand. 

Source: Bernama | 25 July 2017

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