Growth and change at Singapore Airlines & Changi Airport

Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport brought the Lion City to agents this week, showcasing new developments in store for 2015.

While plenty of events are planned for Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence this year, the destination and the businesses which serve it are always changing regardless of milestones:

Singapore Airlines

Les Kovacs, Singapore Airline’s Eastern Canada sales manager, said 2015 and 2016 will bring a number of new developments for the carrier.

Coming this year, Singapore Airlines will introduce a new Premium Economy class, offering a dedicated cabin with a 2-4-2 seating configuration and features such as WiFi access and priority check-in and bag check.

Improvements in other cabin classes are also scheduled, including “next-generation” Business Class seating and larger touch-screen monitors in Economy.

Several service increases are also scheduled, with daily flights out of Los Angeles beginning in December and service out of JFK International Airport taking place Tuesdays and Saturdays as of Dec. 15, increasing to a daily service in 2016.

Kovacs explained that the corporate travel segment makes up the majority of Singapore Airlines’ Canadian business. He told PAX that while there are no plans for Singapore Airlines to again offer direct service from Canada (service was cut from Toronto in 1992 and Vancouver in 2009 due to “commercial reasons,” Kovacs explained), the carrier has a codeshare agreement with Air Canada through the Star Alliance.

Changi Airport

The recipient of hundreds of awards and the world’s sixth busiest airport, Changi is constantly evolving. Toh Ern Chong, Changi’s senior manager of airline development, said that although the facility was constructed in 1981, continued improvements keep Changi in league with newer airports while making it a destination unto itself. Passengers see their every need taken care of, from restaurants and shopping to diversions like movie theatres and online gaming centres, Chong said.

For travellers on layovers of five hours or more, Changi also offers two free Singapore tours to fill the time, Chong explained.

Changi’s latest transformation will take place in 2017 as the airport unveils its SkyGarden feature, a massive glass dome where guests can stroll through gardens situated around a central pool, surrounded by shops and restaurants.

“We aim to make Changi a miniature city and an attraction on its own,” Chong said.

Singapore

In Singapore, the ‘Singlish’ word shiok is used to exclaim a high level of quality or pleasure and travellers to the island are sure to learn the meaning of the term first-hand. With a reputation as a modern, economic powerhouse, luxury offerings abound in Singapore, from the 57-storey Marina Bay Sands Hotel to the restaurants of celebrity chefs, including names such as Joel Robuchon, Susur Lee and Kunio Tokuoka. Singapore’s two casinos rival the earnings of the entire Las Vegas Strip, and when high-rollers need a break from the tables, spas and golf courses are always on hand.

Singapore’s Sentosa Island features fun for the entire family, including Universal Studios Singapore, six hotels, the Marine Life Park and River and Night Safaris, where guests can come face to face with animals from around the world.

There’s another side to the island, however; with nearly half of its landmass covered in greenery, Singapore boasts numerous gardens and greenhouses, including the world’s largest tropical orchid garden. Combining the high-tech and the pastoral, Gardens by the Bay features several attractions, with the numerous ‘super tree’ structures as its central feature, acting as vertical greenhouses for plants living inside while providing a nightly light show.