Singapore Airlines operationally ready to ride on mainland China’s reopening

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) is pursuing a “first off the blocks” strategy as it eyes more spoils from the global reopening, including mainland China’s eventual return to the skies.

Chief executive officer Goh Choon Phong said at an earnings briefing on Monday (Nov 7) that the mainboard-listed airline group has been gearing up for the recovery of air travel while waiting for the borders to reopen, including keeping its resources operationally ready and injecting capacity ahead of demand.

Despite it expecting to operate at only 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by December, for example, almost all the group’s cabin crew and pilots will be back in active service at that time.