SOMETIME in the near future, the SilkAir brand will no longer exist, after parent Singapore Airlines (SIA) assimilates the regional carrier under its wings.
The announcement last Friday comes almost a year after SIA announced that Tiger Airways and Scoot would operate under the Scoot brand. SIA's operational consolidation makes business sense - with the mergers, the national carrier will focus on two distinct brands: SIA in the premium segment and Scoot for the budget market. This would make for better strategic and operational focus in the highly competitive airline industry.
The planned SIA-SilkAir merger will take place after a US$100 million-plus fleet upgrade for the regional airline's existing...