SIA to suspend flights to Abu Dhabi, Athens

[belumosi]

SIA to suspend flights to Abu Dhabi, Athens
Posted: 16 May 2012 1735 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) will suspend services to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Athens in Greece, due to sustained weak performance of both routes.
The last flights to both cities will depart Singapore on October 26, 2012.
SIA said on Wednesday that the decision was a difficult one as the airline has been serving Athens since 1972 and Abu Dhabi since 2006.
It said the suspensions are in line with its policy to match capacity to prevailing market demand.
Customers who have confirmed tickets issued before May 16 for travel to and from Abu Dhabi and Athens after October 26, or after October 27 for the return Abu Dhabi-Singapore service, can get refunds, without administrative fees or penalties.
This also applies to KrisFlyer redemption tickets.
SIA will contact affected customers to offer alternative travel options.
It will continue to serve Dubai in the UAE.
Connections to and from Athens are also possible on Star Alliance partner airlines via several of SIA's other European points.
Abu Dhabi is currently served three times per week.
Athens is served two times per week, rising to three times per week between early July and late September.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori...201666/1/.html

[EWR]

and this comes on the heels of numerous other cuts, by other airlines! - DL, UA, CO, TG

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w...05/2012_441790

[SilverChris]

Saw ATH coming.. But AUH?

[feb01mel]

What about Jeddah ? Normally is via AUH.

[inix]

The last time I was doing AUH - SIN, the flight was 100% full both ways. Both J & Y. While I understand load does not equate yield, but its still really strange for me..

[Guy Betsy]

These days, whatever SQ plans, is strange to me!

Giving up ATH yes, cos they can easily be served by LH via FRA or TK via IST. And SQ feels that AUH can be served via DXB.

But I still cannot understand why abandon YVR !! I know of no person having to fly via the USA to YVR now.

[9V-SPL]

They are cancelling Riyadh too.

[SQGamespeed]

Not surprised about Athens, as even a time-tested route operated for 40 years has shown that it cannot survive the current Greek crisis (pretty sure thats the reason).

No problem, just fly TK via IST or LH via FRA/MUC to get those miles.

As for AUH, can use DXB, or use EY directly. But does that mean JED will now be nonstop?

[choonhong]

a quick search shows this
looks a bit wierd

[zilchster]

The mystery is finally solved.

SQ will operate SIN-RUH-JED and JED-RUH-SIN

Refer to the following post on Airlineroute.net

[bent]

Psst. A little birdie told me that ATH may be brought back online during the Summer peak of June - Sep 2014.

[CarbonMan]

Psst. A little birdie told me that ATH may be brought back online during the Summer peak of June - Sep 2014.

Via IST?

[kaysquare]

Psst. A little birdie told me that ATH may be brought back online during the Summer peak of June - Sep 2014.

Just love it when SQT-ers have little birds all over the place

Maybe we should have a bird singing contest just like the old bird hang out place at Tiong Bahru!

[SQ228]

Psst. A little birdie told me that ATH may be brought back online during the Summer peak of June - Sep 2014.

They would have no competition for direct flights as a simple search shows Air China flying to Beijing is the only direct flight to Asia left flying out of ATH. But then the fact it is so dead also reflects how badly their aviation market must have collapsed.

While many airlines were always able to take advantage of so many Greeks living in Australia to guarantee business, this has now been lost to the Middle Eastern airlines and it does make a lot of sense. They can run a short flight with a smaller plane from their home base with a better frequency. Asian airlines can't.

[bent]

It's more or less confirmed with a press release coming out in the next few days. It should be a non-stop flight.

Period: 9th June 2014 - 9 Oct 2014
DOP: 1,4 (to and fro)
A/c: 777-200 (the old purple spacebeds)

Sales could begin as soon as 01 October 2013!