Singapore Airlines and ANA has signed a partnership pact last Friday. Through this Joint Venture, customers will enjoy shorter layovers and greater flight connection opportunities; where both airlines will leverage on each other’s connectivity in their own hubs. Both airlines will be looking at ways to coordinate networks, flight schedules, capacity and fare pricing.
Targeted Markets In The Partnership
Singapore – Japan
Singapore Airlines currently operates 6x daily flight, while ANA currently operates 4x daily flights between Singapore and Tokyo.
By taking a look at ANA‘s domestic network, it is clear to see how ANA can assist Singapore Airlines to expand its reach into Japan. Singapore Airlines (along with SilkAir) currently operates direct flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Hiroshima only.
Japan – Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Australia via Singapore
On the flip side, ANA does not have extensive reach to Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Australia. This is the area where Singapore Airlines (along with SilkAir) can help ANA fill the gap.
Putting these maps together, it is very easy to see how important this partnership is. By coordinating flight schedules in these 6 markets, especially between Singapore and Japan, both airlines may see an increase in traffic flows as a result of coordinated pricing, more connection opportunities and better layover timings.
Featured Image: CNA
Let’s make one thing clear.
They are not going to fly via Haneda. It will just be ANA and United doing HND – Americas. Maybe Avianca, Azul and Copa some day.
In the bigger picture, Narita will have more domestic connections and far more destinations served than Haneda. I can totally see Haneda being used to up frequencies and that’s it. As a stopover, flying via NRT is much faster than Haneda, and NRT can literally have aircraft departing and arriving until the typhoon is literally at the edge of the airport. Haneda closes hours prior due to storm surges.
Expect ASEAN airlines to bombard ICN and NRT and onwards Canada and USA. Leave America to Japan, Korea, China out of this. Most will do nonstop and 321XLR by UA can reach TYO from SFO, SEA to ICN. With China now shifting towards Chengdu Chongqing Qingdao Nanjing Guangzhou taking over Beijing Shanghai Hangzhou Hong Kong Shenzhen; Korea developing GMP more into HND, with PUS and FUK area seeing transpacific flights grow for real.
I bet money that eventually someone like Garuda will replace SQ’s NRT LAX and SQ will go NRT JFK just nice in bed with DL and B6 to connect AD while UA focus on EWR NRT to connect to the Tier 2 cities.
I think LH wants SQ to do GRU via FRA because LH can’t seem to compete in that space profitably against AF KL. They saw how SQ lit up BCN GRU and probably want the magic there too. With Mercosur coming, Sao Paulo cannot be ignored now.