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SIA open to picking up pie in local airlines

BS Economy Bureau in New Delhi

Singapore Airlines said on Tuesday that it was open to picking up stake in other airlines.

Though not wanting to comment on the Indian Airlines divestments issue, Rick Clements, vice-president, public affairs, SIA, said: "Our strategy is to pick up stake and grow into a global airlines. Over the last year we have faced difficulty due to an industrial downtrend but we haven't abandoned our strategy."

Clements said, in India, the airlines would at present be open to tie-ups in areas such as ground services.

Currently, the airline has a joint venture with the Taj Group for in-flight catering. SIA also plans to expand its operations in the country by next year.

The airline is planning to introduce Bangalore as its fifth passenger destination in the country.

"We are holding discussions with Air-India to start operations to Bangalore by next April and work out a commercial arrangement in this regard," said Clements.

The airline is also planning to upgrade some of its aircraft out of Delhi and Kolkata.

SIA is going to change the Airbus A-310 operating to Kolkata to Boeing 777-200 this would mean an increase of about 100 seats per flight.

While in Delhi the airline is introducing Boeing 777-300 in place of Boeing 777-200, which results in an increase of 44 seats per flight.

Clements also expressed hope that SIA would add three more services to Mumbai by October-November next year, subject to commercial agreements with Air-India and the air services agreement between India and Singapore.

SIA's 100 per cent subsidiary SilkAir, Clements said, also proposed to operate charters to Jaipur, which are likely to begin in the next few weeks.

SIA and its subsidiary, SilkAir, now operate to seven destinations in India - Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, totaling about 24 flights a week. SIA cargo operates one freighter service to Bangalore.

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