SIA to fly to Haneda in 2010

[vincent0720]

I think capacity on the SIN-NRT route will be reduced if/when SIN-HND starts. Also, I think opening up HND is the government's plan in the long term to close down NRT and make HND into a full-fledged international airport again right?

SIN-HND-LAX
just kidding just kidding
A bit strange since SIA fly to NRT and want to move to HND. (not necessary)
However, it is definitely more convenient in a sense.

[flyguy]

Hi SQalMundo - the Japanese govt will of course will not close down Narita for Haneda as its too close to the city to be an international airport and no room at all to expand. The reason way way back then if one remembers was for Haneda to handle interntional flights was bec of the "China policy" ie JAL was not allowed initally to fly direct to mainland China cities bec it then flies to Taiwan also - similiarly for China airlines flying into Tokyo - and these also extends to other airlines who fly to Taipei/Taiwan cannot then use Narita - hence haneda was used mainly for this purpose then - other than for its domestic flights. Note that JAL even have to change its name just for "namesake" for its flights to Taiwan.
And now Haneda domestic usgae have been down due to the cutbacks by LAL and ANA nbec of their heavy losses and therefore have opened up some considerable slots for other airlines' international usage.

[QSG]

They are going to be completing a 4th runway early 2010 thus able to accomodate increased capacity. They won't be any foreign carrier operations via 2nd country to HND, it will be capital city to capital city as we have seen up to now. The rights to BKK/HND will no doubt be reserved for TG/JL/NH. KUL/HND for for chosen incumbent carriers not for foreign carriers to cherry pick. It will be reciprocal access within Asia, and controlled/limited flight frequency. Have any of you seen the prices charged for HND/GMP or HND/SHA? Sometimes double that of fares from NRT!

[Guy Betsy]

Whatever their motivations for starting a route to HND are - this would be a much more convenient option than NRT.

Not if you want to connect to an international flight, then this option is not good.

[9V-SIA]

I found this old post by Nick C which is interesting and relevant.

http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthr...ghlight=haneda

[zilchster]

SQ will be the only Singapore carrier to fly to HND. All the rights for the SIN-HND route have be awarded to SQ (2x daily). Good move by SQ to block 3K.

[KeithMEL]

Not if you want to connect to an international flight, then this option is not good.

Indeed. I should've qualified my claim - I actually meant the HND option is more convenient for pax who are visiting Tokyo, particularly districts of the city near HND airport.

[EWR]

SQ will be the only Singapore carrier to fly to HND. All the rights for the SIN-HND route have be awarded to SQ (2x daily). Good move by SQ to block 3K.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking...ry_454983.html

Why is it a good move? it means less competition, and that's bad for consumers

[pavion]

From a financial point of view, SQ operating to HND makes sense, they will be focussing on the business travelers, and for some reason I don't see these flights to be very cheap, but is there really a demand for 4 daily flights to Tokyo, granted one of them does continue to LAX but maybe they can try and shift that and codeshare with ANA instead and shift it to where they can compete better at the same time reduce the load to Tokyo, becuase I would have assumed Singapore Airlines would have increased their service to Tokyo if there was a demand for that.

At the moment however, even their 3 daily flights carrying O+D passengers, they do have limited connections from a geographical standpoint which is being flights to Asia and Australia, I don't know how much of their demand is from transit passengers, but it must be quite large to demand 3 daily flights. Not to say that Tokyo is unprofitable, unless there is some government involved, I am sure if SQ saw a demand for 2 more flights to Tokyo, they would have done it long time ago.

[zilchster]

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking...ry_454983.html

Why is it a good move? it means less competition, and that's bad for consumers

Less competition may be bad for consumers, but it depends on the type of competition. I see 3K's competition as being bad for economy class consumers on the whole.

True, airfares go rock bottom with budget airlines. And SQ has to respond to the competition by cutting its airfares. To stay profitable then, they will have to find other areas to charge extras to their customers, and institute cut backs here and there. And cut backs will happen to all classes of services whether first, business and economy.

This will become a vicious cycle and it becomes a race to a downward spiral.

I understand CX is also going to charge extra for emergency row seats, Etihad is going to reconfigure its 777-300ERs to have 10 abreast in economy.

Unless one hopes to see SQ squeezing 10 abreast in economy on the 77W then I've got nothing on to add.

There are still passengers like me who can't afford a Biz or Premium Economy fare but am willing to pay an economy fare rate for a full-service rather than buy add-ons.

[haf]

We're in business!

http://airlineroute.net/2010/03/25/sq-hnd/

Singapore Airlines from 31OCT10 launches 2 Daily Singapore – Tokyo Haneda service with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The Star Alliance carrier is the first international carriers to provide complete details and schedules on Tokyo Haneda route, as the airport opens to scheduled International traffic from 31OCT10, coinciding with the opening of 4th runway.

Detailed Schedule, which loaded into the GDS on 25MAR10, as follows:

SQ634 SIN1540 – 2305HND 77W D
SQ636 SIN2220 – 0545+1HND 77W D

SQ633 HND0015 – 0640SIN 77W D
SQ635 HND0655 – 1320SIN 77W D

The airline will continue to maintain 2 Daily Singapore – Tokyo Narita service.

SQ012 SIN0945 – 1720NRT 744 D
SQ638 SIN2345 – 0730+1NRT 388 D

SQ637 NRT1130 – 1800SIN 388 D
SQ011 NRT1900 – 0135+1SIN 744 D

[9V-JKL]

Hmmm...Where's the 77Ws coming from?

[feb01mel]

Wow, finally....but SQ website have not load Haneda code yet, still find Tokyo-NRT only.

[hybridace101]

It is at least closer to the city centre, hence saving some time.

[kelvgoh]

It is at least closer to the city centre, hence saving some time.

Oh wow! I didn't know that.

I must admit that I'm surprised that they are flying the 77W to HND. I think at least one of those birds will come from HKG, the other might come from PEK once more 73As have been refitted.

I do think though that the 0005 departure from HND is timely, it will probably be the choice flight out of Tokyo for SQ.