SIA to fly direct to Dusseldorf thrice weekly from July

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) will fly directly between Singapore and Dusseldorf three times a week from July 21, 2016, Singapore's national air carrier announced on Monday after the market closed.

The flights will operate on the new Airbus A350-900 planes, of which SIA has ordered 67, with the first to be delivered in early 2016. The flights will depart from Singapore on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:30pm Singapore time. The return legs will depart Dusseldorf on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 11:30am Dusseldorf time.

SIA said it plans to increase the frequency of the flights later.

The new route will give SIA a presence in Germany's three largest airports, including Frankfurt and Munich. Dusseldorf is the capital of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and is known for being a fashion centre. It borders Belgium and the Netherlands.