Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary Scoot is keenly watching the growth of tier-2 cities of India to put them on its growing list of destinations and tap into the burgeoning demand for international travel coming from markets beyond the metros. Scoot will commence daily flights from Chennai, its sixth destination in India, from November 5 to Singapore using an Airbus A320. While Chennai was Scoot’s first destination in India, it is the only metro destination on its map.

Scoot presently operates 44 flights to India per week, connecting to five destinations, Trichy, Trivandrum, Visakhapatnam, Amritsar and Coimbatore. The metros and other major destinations are covered by its parent Singapore Airlines.   

Brian Torey, general manager India, Scoot, said: “We are constantly evaluating for new routes and new destinations. As a group, we cover the major cities so we have to then pioneer the Tier 2 cities. In tier 2 cities it boils down to the viability of the route and pioneering it through the addition of flights. It is about what the market can absorb.“

Singapore Airlines (SIA), the full-service carrier, flies to nine Indian destinations including Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi and Mumbai. Currently, SIA operates 96 flights per week.

SIA is also in the process of owning a 25.1% stake in the combined entity that will be Air India comprising E190-E2 Embraers four carriers – Air India, Vistara, Air India Express and AirAsia India. “SIA is a parent company; we do group planning. We try to have the best product for the market based on market evaluation,” Torey added.  

Scoot has a fleet of 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 38 Airbus A320 and A321. While there will be an addition to this tally in the upcoming period, it is getting ready to induct Embraers also. The first of the E190-E2 Embraers will join its fleet in 2024.
These Embraers, which do not have a middle seat, can accommodate 146 passengers in an economy class configuration. They could be used for connecting the south of India as well but a decision on this is yet to be made.

“The Embraers have a five-hour range so definitely the south (of India) can be connected. But as we induct the new aircraft, we will share new destinations (plan),” Torey added. Scoot will have a total of 9 Embraer aircraft on lease.

 (The writer is in Chennai on the invitation from Scoot)