The new long-haul, low-cost carrier under development by Singapore Airlines (SIA) will launch operations with Boeing 777-200s, the Asian carrier confirmed last week. SIA revealed that following a detailed evaluation it selected the widebodied airliner due to its “proven versatility and reliability”. The type has been a mainstay of SIA’s fleet since its introduction in 1997.
The aircraft will initially be acquired from SIA but will undergo a full interior reconfiguration before entering service with the low-cost start-up. “The selection of the initial fleet marks another milestone in the establishment of the new airline,” said the airline’s recently appointed Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Wilson. “The process is progressing well for our launch next year.”
New Zealander Campbell Wilson is a permanent resident of Singapore and has served with SIA for more than 15 years holding positions overseas and at its headquarters. He initially held sales and marketing positions in Auckland when he first joined the carrier in April 1996. In 2003 he moved to its head office and held positions in the Network Revenue Management and Network Planning Departments before being appointed Vice President Canada in 2006. He subsequently held a General Manager role in Hong Kong before being appointed to his previous position of General Manager Japan last year.
“My immediate task is to establish a strong management team and we will be actively recruiting to fill senior positions,” he explained. “There is huge potential in this new market segment and we can promise many exciting developments from the new airline in the lead-up to our launch next year.”
The new airline will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of SIA and will operate under a no-frills, low-fare model serving medium and long-haul routes. It will be operated independently and managed separately from its parent and details of its branding, products and services, and route network will be unveiled in the coming months.
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