On May 16, Singapore Airlines (SIA) significantly upgraded its Australian operations by reintroducing the Airbus A380 on the Singapore-Melbourne route, replacing the previously deployed Boeing 777-300ER. This marks a return of the superjumbo service to Victoria’s capital since its last operation on March 9, 2020.
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Flight SQ 237 marked this transition, taking off from Changi International Airport at 00:51 local time and successfully landing at Tullamarine International Airport after a journey of six hours and 45 minutes.
Currently, Singapore Airlines provides four daily flights between Singapore and Melbourne, utilizing Airbus A350-900, Airbus A380, and Boeing 777-300ER. These flights offer 18,074 seats per week and are augmented by Scoot’s services, SIA’s low-cost subsidiary, which provides 10 weekly flights on Boeing 787. SIA’s offerings rival those of Emirates, which provides a fifth-freedom connection, and the airlines of the Qantas Group: Jetstar Airways and Qantas.
With a commanding presence, SIA emerges as the third-largest international airline operator in Australia, measured in terms of available seat kilometers (ASK). According to Cirium, SIA has reinstated 85.6% of its capacity in this market relative to 2019 levels. The carrier’s Australian network extends to Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, offering nonstop flights.
A380’s Daily Flight Schedule to Melbourne
- Singapore to Melbourne (Flight SQ 237): Departure at 00:25 SIN, Arrival at 09:50 MEL.
- Melbourne to Singapore (Flight SQ 228): Departure at 15:40 MEL, Arrival at 21:30 SIN.
Capable of accommodating 471 passengers across four classes, Singapore Airlines’ A380s offer promotional round trip fares starting from USD 1,409. This superjumbo service will continue until October.
SIA is the second airline to schedule flights on the Airbus A380 to Tullamarine International Airport, supplementing Emirates’ services. In Australia, Melbourne joins Sydney as the second destination served by SIA’s superjumbo.
Data from the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, City and Regional Development indicates that between June 2018 and June 2019, a total of 1,626,826 passengers and 71,634 tons of cargo were transported on the Singapore-Melbourne route.
In June, Singapore Airlines’ A380s are slated to fly to Mumbai, Delhi, Hong Kong, London-Heathrow, Melbourne, Shanghai-Pudong, and Sydney.
