Singapore Airlines will enhance seat capacity from Calcutta during Durga Puja by flying a bigger aircraft daily, the carrier said on Monday.
This is the first time since the Covid pandemic broke out that the airline is planning to enhance capacity from the city. The last time Singapore Airlines had done so was during Durga Puja 2019, said a spokesperson for the airline.
“Singapore Airlines is pleased to announce a temporary upgauge of its Boeing 737-8 services to Airbus A350-900 services from October 17-20, and again on October 26 and 27, 2023. Subject to regulatory approvals, this change of aircraft type from a narrow-body to a wide-body over the Durga Puja period will help meet the surge in demand for travel during the festival,” a statement from the airline said.
Durga Puja starts on October 20.
The airline currently flies daily between Calcutta and Singapore, operating its 154-seat B737-8 aircraft from Tuesday to Friday and 303-seat A350-900 aircraft on Monday, Saturday and Sunday.
“With this upgauge, the airline will operate daily A350-900 services from October 14 to 23 and again from October 26 to 30 October, thus increasing SIA’s total capacity from Calcutta by 22 per cent over the Durga Puja period,” said the statement.
Sy Yen Chen, general manager, India, Singapore Airlines, said: “We are delighted to announce this temporary capacity increase from Calcutta over the Durga Puja period, when demand for travel usually exceeds availability of seats.”
According to an official of the airline, flight tickets for southeast Asian destinations, along with those of Australia and New Zealand, are most in demand from Calcutta during the Puja season.
The decision by Singapore Airlines to operate A350-900 aircraft daily from October 14 to 23 and from October 26 to 30 will offer passengers an inventory of 40 “lie-flat” business class seats per day, compared with just 10 on the B737-8 aircraft.
Tour operators said they have already started witnessing a high demand for international travel during Durga Puja, particularly to southeast Asia and Australia.
“We had requested Singapore Airlines to enhance capacity because of the rising demand. After the pandemic, southeast Asia is again strongly back on Calcuttans’ travel map. More seats will help us sell Australia andNew Zealand, too, which are also in high demand during the Puja,” said Manav Soni, chairman, eastern region, Travel Agents Association of India.
