Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Singapore Airlines shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Singapore Airlines offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Singapore Airlines at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Singapore Airlines? Wrong! If the Singapore Airlines is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Singapore Airlines then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Singapore Airlines? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Singapore Airlines and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Singapore Airlines wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Singapore Airlines then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Singapore Airlines site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Singapore Airlines, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Singapore Airlines, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Airline| airline = Singapore Airlines (SIA)| logo = SIA Logo.gif| logo_size = 300px| fleet_size = 94 (+86 orders, 59 options)| destinations = 64| IATA = SQ| ICAO = SIA| callsign = SINGAPORE| company_slogan = A Great Way To Fly| founded = 1947 (as Malayan Airways)| headquarters = Singapore ([Chief executive officer)| hubs = Singapore Changi Airport
[Suvarnabhumi Airport[KrisFlyer#PPS Club| lounge = Silver Kris Lounge| alliance = Star Alliance
[SIA Engineering Company
SilkAir
Singapore Airlines Cargo
Singapore Flying College of [Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Singapore Changi Airport and has a presence in the airline markets of Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and the competitive "kangaroo route" between Europe and Oceania. The company also operates Transpacific flights, including two of the world's longest non-stop flight from Singapore to Newark, New Jersey, New Jersey and Los Angeles, California, California. The first non-stop flight between Singapore and Los Angeles, USA, Singapore Infopedia (National Library Board of Singapore), retrieved on 1 January 2007.

SIA has diversified into Aircraft ground handling, aviation engineering, air catering, and Travel agency. Its wholly owned subsidiary, SilkAir, manages regional flights to secondary cities with smaller capacity requirements, particularly those in Southeast Asia, China and India. Strong growth potential in Cargo airline operations prompted the setting up of a separate subsidiary, Singapore Airlines Cargo, which leased the entire freighter fleet from SIA and manages the cargo holds in all existing SIA aircraft. The airline also responded to the threats posed by the Low-cost carrier by taking a 49% stake in Tiger Airways. Collectively, the Singapore Airlines Group (including SilkAir and Singapore Airlines Cargo) is the world's largest carrier by market capitalization, having overtaken Southwest Airlines in 2006/7, and ranks amongst the top 15 carriers worldwide in terms of revenue passenger kilometres. In addition, it is the List of largest airlines in Asia and ranked 6th in the world in terms of international passengers carried.

Singapore Airlines was ranked 17th in Fortune (magazine) World’s Most Admired Companies rankings in 2007) and has built up a strong brand name as a trendsetter in the aviation industry, particularly in terms of service excellence, innovation, and safety, Singapore Airlines - An Excellent Asian Brand, Venture Republic, retrieved 2 January 2007 coupled with consistent profitability. Cost-Effective Service Excellence: Lessons from Singapore Airlines, Business Strategy Review, retrieved 2 January 2007 It has won numerous Singapore Airlines awards and accolades, and is an industry bellwether for aircraft purchases. The airline was Asia's first and the world's third airline to be accredited by IATA with the IOSA (IATA Operations Safety Audit). IOSA - IATA Operational Safety Audit, IATA website, retrieved January 1 2007 9V-SPA takes off from London Heathrow Airport bound for Singapore Changi Airport. The airline uses its main base at Singapore to compete on the lucrative "kangaroo route".

History Early history (VR-SCD) - the first aircraft type operated by Malayan Airways, which was the forerunner of Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines began with the incorporation of Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MAL) on 12 October 1947, by the Ocean Steamship Company of Liverpool, the Straits Steamship Company of Singapore and Imperial Airways. The airline's first flight was a chartered flight from the United Kingdom Straits Settlement of Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on 2 April 1947 using an Airspeed Consul twin-engined airplane. Regular weekly scheduled flights quickly followed from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang from 1 May 1947 with the same aircraft type. The airline continued to expand during the rest of the 1940s and 1950s, as other British Commonwealth of Nations airlines (such as BOAC and Qantas) provided technical assistance, as well as assistance in joining IATA. By 1955, Malayan Airways' fleet had grown to include a large number of Douglas DC-3s, and went PLC in 1957. Other aircraft operated in the first two decades included the C-54 Skymaster, the Vickers Viscount, the Lockheed Constellation, the Bristol Britannia, the De Havilland Comet#Comet 4 and the Fokker F27.

When Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, the airline's name was changed, from "Malayan Airways" to "Malaysian Airlines" (though still abbreviated to MAS). MAS also took over Borneo Airways. In 1966, following Singapore's separation from the federation, the airline's name was changed again, to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA). The next year saw a rapid expansion in the airline's fleet and route, including the purchase of MSA's first Boeing aircraft, the Boeing 707s, as well the completion of a new high-rise headquarters in Singapore. Boeing 737s were added to the fleet soon after.

MSA ceased operations in 1972, when political disagreements between Singapore and Malaysia resulted in the formation of two entities: Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. Singapore Airlines kept all 10 of MSA's Boeing 707s and 737s, retained the international routes out of Singapore as well as the existing corporate headquarters in the city. Female flight attendants continued to wear the sarong kebaya uniform, which was first introduced in 1968. A local start up advertising company, Batey Ads was given the right to market the airline, eventually selecting the sarong and kebaya-clad air stewardesses as an icon for the airline and calling them Singapore Girls.

Modern history freighter at Zurich Airport in 1979. The aircraft was delivered on 20 November 1972, and was SIA's ninth Boeing 707 aircraft., dubbed Megatop, at Auckland International Airport. The Megatop is the flagship of the airline since 1989 until the introduction of the Airbus A380 in October 2007

Singapore Airlines saw rapid growth during the 1970s, adding cities in the Indian subcontinent and Asia to its 22-city network, and adding Boeing 747s to its fleet. The 1980s saw the addition of the United States, Canada, and European cities to the airline's route map, with Madrid, Spain becoming the first Hispanic city to be served by Singapore Airlines.

Boeing 747-400s were introduced into the Singapore Airlines fleet in 1989 and named Megatops. They were later complemented by Boeing 777s, Airbus A310s and Airbus A340s. Services were extended to southern Africa in the 1990s, when the airline began flights to Johannesburg in South Africa. The cities of Cape Town and Durban were subsequently introduced to the route network.

In 2004, Singapore Airlines began non-stop trans-Pacific flights from Singapore to Los Angeles and Newark Liberty International Airport, utilising the Airbus A340 (dubbed Leadership by the airline). These flights marked the first non-stop air services between Singapore and the United States of America. The Singapore to Newark flight set a record, which it still holds, as the longest scheduled commercial flight, with a flying time of approximately 18 hours between Singapore and Newark and 20 hours on the return journey.

On September 29 2000, Singapore Airlines announced an order for 25 Airbus A3XX (as the A380 was known at the time). The US$8.6 billion order comprised a firm order of 10 aircraft, with options on another 15 airframes. Singapore Airlines Announces US$8.6 Billion Airbus A3XX* Order The order was confirmed by Singapore Airlines on July 12 2001. In April 2004, SIA announced that they will launch A380 service on flights between Sydney and Singapore and onwards to London, creating the first A380 service on the kangaroo route.http://www.a380.singaporeair.com/news_pr_20050427.html Singapore Airlines - First To Fly The A380]

In January 2005, the airline unveiled the slogan "First to fly the A380 - experience the difference in 2006", to promote itself as the world's first airline to take delivery of the Airbus A380 double-decker super jumbo, which was expected to take place in the second quarter of 2006. SIA Reveals The "First to fly" Logo For Its A380 In June 2005, Airbus confirmed that due to unforeseen technical problems, initial deliveries of the Airbus A380 would be delayed by up to six months, Airbus confirms super-jumbo delay (BBC News: June 1 2005) with the first delivery now slated for November 2006, well after the peak northern hemisphere summer travel season. The announcement was met with fury by SIA's CEO, Chew Choon Seng, who threatened to sue Airbus, saying:

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He further stated that SIA will be turning its attention to Boeing instead, since it would be receiving the Boeing 777 before the A380. Nevertheless, SIA has indicated that this would not affect its promotional campaign.

In February 2006, the first A380 in full Singapore Airlines livery was flown to Singapore, where it was displayed at Asian Aerospace 2006. On June 14, 2006, Singapore Airlines placed an initial order for the Boeing 787 as part of its future aircraft expansion. The order consisted of 20 787-9s and rights for 20 more. This order came one day after Airbus announced that the A380 superjumbo would be delayed by another 6 months.

Upon completion of a review of the A380 program on 3 October 2006, the new CEO of Airbus, Christian Streiff, announced a third delay for delivery of the first A380 to Singapore Airlines. Airbus Confirms Further A380 Delay and Launches Company Restructuring Plan (Airbus: October 3 2006) The largest delay yet, it pushed the first delivery of a single A380 aircraft to Singapore Airlines in October 2007.

At a Cabinet meeting on February 22, 2006, the Australian government decided not to grant Freedoms of the air#Fifth freedom rights to Singapore Airlines on flights from Australia to the United States. Singapore Airlines had argued that transpacific flights from Australia suffered from under-capacity, leading to limited competition and relatively high air fares.

On August 16 2007, the airline announced that the first Airbus A380 aircraft will be received on 15 October 2007 and be entered into service on 25 October 2007 with a flight between Singapore and Sydney (flight number Singapore Airlines Flight 380/381). The airline plans to use this first aircraft, in a 471-seat configuration, on its London–Singapore–Sydney service.

Incidents and accidents See also: List of accidents and incidents on commercial airliners grouped by airline#Singapore Airlines There has been one accident involving passenger fatalities on Singapore Airlines.

Other incidents

Corporate management Singapore Airlines is the parent airline company of the Singapore Airlines Group of companies. The Government of Singapore investment and holding company, Temasek Holdings is the majority shareholder with 55% shareholding. The Singapore government has regularly stressed its non-involvement in the management of the company, a point emphasised by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew when he declared that the aviation hub status of Singapore Changi Airport will be defended, even at the cost of SIA. However, he was personally involved in defusing tensions between the company and its pilots, warned the airline to cut costs, and made public his advice to the airline to divest from its Singapore Airlines subsidiaries. Still, independent research typically rates the airline as practicing sound corporate governance policies in accordance with national regulations. In the lead up to the conclusion of the Open Skies Agreement with the United Kingdom on 2 October 2007, the Singapore aviation authorities referred to the airline's Financial audit annual reports to dispel the notion that SIA receives state funding, subsidies or preferential treatment from the government, despite being a Government-linked company.

Structure Singapore Airlines has diversified over the years in related industries and sectors, including Aircraft ground handling, aircraft leasing, aviation engineering, air catering, and tour operator. It has also restructured itself by hiving off operational units as fully-owned subsidiaries to maintain its core business as a premium passenger airline.

The Singapore Airlines Group comprised of 25 subsidiary companies, 32 associated companies, and two joint venture companies in the financial year ending 31 March 2007. It divested itself completely from two associated companies, namely Asia Leasing Limited and Mid-East Airport Services, where it previously held 21% and 41.6% respectively. It also sold all its equity share of 35.5% in a joint venture, Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise, to the Bank of China for US$980m on 15 December 2006

Some major companies in Singapore Airlines Group include:

{] 2007)] Private Limited||Joint venture||Aircraft overhaul||Singapore Limited||Subsidiary||Engineering||[Singapore (Singapore) Private Limited||Subsidiary||[Airline||100%|-|[Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited||41%|-|[Singapore Airlines Cargo Private Limited]||Singapore Limited||Subsidiary||[Holding company||81.9%|-|[Singapore Flying College Private Limited]||Singapore Private Limited||Associate||[Airline||49%|-|[Virgin Atlantic Airways||Associate||Holding company||49%|}

Suggestions to divest its two biggest subsidiaries, [SIA Engineering Company and Singapore Airport Terminal Services, have stretched back several years, in particular when Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew voiced his opinion that the airline should divest the two listed companies to focus on its core business in December 2005. The company has yet to react in kind, however, although it did evaluate this possibility.

Operational investments The airline has attempted to invest in other airlines in a bid to expand beyond its Singapore base, although the results are often financially negative. In 1989, it went into a tripartite alliance with Delta Air Lines and Swissair, but terminated their partnership in 1999 after divesting their 5% equity stake in each other's company. The airline purchased 25% of Air New Zealand in 2000. However following the near collapse of Air New Zealand the politics of New Zealand bought into the airline to rescue it from bankruptcy, reducing Singapore Airlines' stake to 4.5%. This was subsequently sold in October 2004 at a substantial loss.

SIA bought a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways on 30 March 2000 worth 600 million Pound sterling in cash in the hope of leveraging on it on the lucrative transatlantic market, but by 2007, there has been reports of underperformance and the possibility of divesting its stake. http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL0955460420070709?rpc=44 In September 2004, the airline established low-cost carrier Tiger Airways with a 49% stake, in partnership with Indigo Partners LLC, the investment firm founded by Bill Franke, (24%); Irelandia Investments Limited, the private investment arm of Tony Ryan and his family, (16%); and Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd (11%).

On April 20, 2006, the media broke the news on the airline's possible investment of up to 20% in China Eastern Airlines. SIA confirmed that negotiations were underway. Singapore Airlines Possible China Eastern Airlines Investment (Channel NewsAsia: July 21 2006) News of a possible stake in Aeroméxico also surfaced on 6 February 2007. Ya hay postores para Aeroméxico (El Universal: 6 February 2007) On 10 May 2007, the China Securities Journal reported that the airline is in final talks to take a stake in China Eastern China Eastern Airlines in final talks to sell stake to Singapore Airlines: report (Channel NewsAsia: 10 May 2007) of up to 20%, China Eastern, Singapore Air in final talks -paper (Reuters: 10 May 2007) resulting in a surge in the latter's stock prices. China Eastern surges on Singapore Airlines report (Shanghai Daily: 10 May 2007) However, a Singapore Airlines spokesman came forward to dispel these rumours and confirmed that while talks are in progress, they are as yet non conclusive. SIA confirms talks with China Eastern (Channel NewsAsia: 10 May 2007) On 2 September 2007, the airline concluded its purchase of a 15.7% stake in China Eastern, with Temasek Holdings holding another 8.3% in the Chinese airline. The deal will see China Eastern's parent company, China Eastern Holdings, shareholding drop to 51% from 59.7%, and give SIA the right to nominate two members on China Eastern's management board. The deal, worth 7.2 billion Hong Kong Dollars, will involve SIA buying 1.24 billion shares at 3.8 Hong Kong dollars a share, evoking a major rally in China Eastern's shares which rose 83.91% to hit 6.86 Hong Kong dollars a day after the announcement of the deal. SIA's empending entry into the Chinese market prompted Cathay Pacific to launch an attempt to block the deal by buying a significant stake in China Eastern and voting down the deal together with Air China, which already holds a 11% stake in the airline at the shareholder's meeting in December 2007{{cite news ] |publisher= Channel NewsAsia [2007|accessdate=2007-09-22 -->.

Financial performance {|class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"|+ Singapore Airlines Group Financial Highlightshttp://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/company_info/investor/annual_report.jsp|-!Year ended||Revenue
(S$m)||Expenditure
(S$m)||Operating profit
(S$m)||Profit before
taxation (S$m)||Profit attributable to
equity holders (S$m)||Earnings per share after tax
– diluted (cents)|-|31 March 1999 [2000 [2001 [2002 [2003 [2004 [2005 [2006 [2007||14,494.4||13,180.0||1,314.4||2,284.6||2,128.8||170.8|}

Operating performance {|class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"|+ Singapore Airlines Operating Highlights (Parent Airline Company only)http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/company_info/investor/annual_report.jsp|-!Year ended||Passengers carried
(thousand)||Revenue passenger kilometre
(million)||Available seat kilometre
(million)||Load factor
(%)||Yield
(%)||Unit cost
(cents/ASK)||Breakeven load
factor (%)|-|31 March 1999 [2000 [2001 [2002 [2003 [2004 [2005 [2006 [2007||18,346||89,148.8||112,543.8||79.2||10.9||7.9||72.5|}

Branding , are heavily marketed as the airline's icon.The Singapore Airlines branding and publicity efforts has revolved primarily around its flight crew, in contrast to most other airlines who tend to emphasize on aircraft or services in general. In particular, the nurturing of the female air stewardesses as the Singapore Girl has been widely successful, and is a common feature in most of the airline's advertisements and publications. The branding strategy aims to build a sense of mythical aura around the Singapore Girl, and portray her as representative of Asian hospitality and grace.

As part of efforts to build up the Singapore Girl icon, the airline runs a rigorous training programs for cabin and flight crew to ensure the SIA brand experience is delivered. The airline's repute, and the resulting prestige of the job has allowed it to be highly selective during its recruitment process as it receives numerous applicants locally and around the region.

Dressed in a version of the Malay Sarong designed by Pierre Balmain in 1968, the uniform of the Singapore Girl has remained largely unchanged. The male steward, in contrast, wears relatively sober light blue business jackets and grey trousers. In April 2001, the shoes were replaced by Pierre Balmain-designed safety shoes, in light of safety reviews after the Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crash where stewardesses complained of missing sandals.

Although a successful marketing image for the airline, it has also invoked criticisms for its sexist portrayal of women as subservient to male customers. Most feminist groups also contend that its reference is outdated, which sparks debates that most Singaporean women today are modern and independent. On 9 January 2007, the airline announced its intentions to tender out its existing advertising contract with Batey Ads, the Singaporean company, headed by founder Ian Batey, who is responsible for building up the Singapore Girl brand name and its partner since 1972. The image of the Singapore Girl will still remain, although SIA will now focus on advertising and promoting its modern fleet and technology instead. On 16 April 2007, the airline appointed New York City-based advertising agent TBWA\ to handle its advertising for the airline, beating two other shortlisted candidates, namely DDB and Publicis. This contract is worth Singapore dollar50 million per year over the following five years, making it the agent's largest win since it started operations in Asia in the late 1990s. The company provided no details about the three firms' bids, though its spokesperson Stephen Forshaw said they will start the new branding campaign "as early as there is a practicable opportunity". This change in advertising agency will not affect SIA's buying media agency, which is presently MEC.

Services Singapore Airlines have received numerous awards and accolades for the standard of service it provides. It claims to be "The World's Most Awarded Airline".

In-flight services Cabins Singapore Airlines announced a major upgrade to its cabin and in-flight service on 17 October 2006, its first major overhaul in a decade and costing the airline about S$570 million. Initially planned for its Airbus A380's introduction into service in 2006, and subsequently on the Boeing 777, the postponement of the first A380-800 delivery meant it had to be introduced with the launch of the first Boeing 777-300ER with the airline on 5 December 2006 between Singapore and Paris. There are no plans to introduce the service to the existing SIA fleet.

First class There are four variations of the first class travel, although the Suites class is designated by SIA as a "class beyond first"http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/exp/new/suite/index.jsp and uses a different fare class (R).

The flagship Suites product consists of separate compartments with walls about 1.5 metres high, and is offered only on the new Airbus A380. Windows are built into the doors and blinds offer privacy. The seat is as wide as any other first class offered by the airline, 35 inches. The bed is a separate mattress and comes out of the wall providing a 198cm x 69cm (78 X 27 in) sleeping area. Suites located in the centre can form a double bed after the wall is removed.Suites are not available for award redemption.

Introduced on 17 October 2006, "New" First Class on 777-300ER aircraft features a 35 inch wide seat upholstered with leather and mahogany and a 23in Liquid crystal display screen. The seat reclines to lie completely flat.

Standard First Class on Boeing 747-400 aircraft features lie-flat SkySuites with 78in seat pitch and 22in wide seats, while selected Boeing 777-200s and all Boeing 777-300 aircraft (used mainly on regional flights) offer lie-flat 60in/21in seats.

Business class Formerly known as Raffles Class, there are three variations of business class.

On Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A380 aircraft, a fully-flat bed is offered 1-2-1 configuration. The leather seat features a 15.4in personal television and an in-seat power supply. Singapore Airlines Redesigned Business Class, Singapore Airlines, Retrieved on October 17 2006

Spacebed seats are available on Airbus 340-500 services, Boeing 777-200ER services, and Boeing 747 services between Singapore, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the United States. The Spacebed seats are 27in(68.5 cm) wide and 72in (183 cm) long and convert to an angled flat bed. They have a retractable 10.4in (26.4 cm) personal television. The airline claims the Spacebed is the largest in its class, although Virgin Atlantic, an airline of which SIA owns 49%, makes the same claim. Virgin Atlantic - Upper Class As the Spacebeds are angled, they are considered inferior to full-flat beds, Singapore Airlines] , Skytrax] , Skytrax offered by some of its competitors, and passengers have complained of sliding down the bed while sleeping.

Traditional Ultimo Plus business class seats, which do not convert into beds, are offered on all Boeing 777-200 (excluding the 777-200ER), and 777-300 aircraft in a 2-3-2 configuration.

Executive economy class Premium economy is only offered on Airbus A340#A340-500 aircraft and replaces the standard economy class cabins. The seat has 37in seat pitch, 20in width and 150° seat recline, with a 9in personal screen and in-seat power supply at selected seats. A minibar is located at the back of the aircraft where light snacks and drinks are offered during the flight. Singapore Airlines Executive Economy Class, Singapore Airlines, Retrieved on May 6 2007

Economy class All economy class seats have personal TVs, footrests, an adjustable headrest with side-flap "ears" and adjustable seat recline. Baby bassinets are available at some bulkheads.

Economy class seats on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft are 19in wide and offer in-seat power and a 10.6in personal TV.

Cuisine to Tokyo.Singapore Airlines offers World Gourmet Cuisine in all three classes. Regional dishes are often served on their respective flights, such as the Kyo-Kaiseki, Shi Quan Shi Mei, and Shahi Thali meals available for first class passengers on flights to Japan, China and India respectively.

Business and First class passengers may also choose to use the "Book the Cook" service on some flights, where specific dishes may be selected in advance from a more extensive menu.

In-flight entertainment system and communication SIA's in-flight entertainment system, KrisWorld, was introduced in 1977. Long-range aircraft using the Wiseman 3000 offer on-demand movies, audio and Nintendo games in all classes. Business and first class passengers receive active noise-cancelling headphones.

In March 2005, SIA introduced Connexion by Boeing in-flight Internet service, and the system was extended to offer live TV in June. The service ended in December 2006 when Connexion was shut down by Boeing.

From October 2005, SIA has offered free language lessons in 22 languages and, starting December 2005, live text news feeds.

Singapore Airlines announced that Panasonic Avionics Corporation has been selected to create the new KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines' IFE system, using the new ex2 system. Singapore Airlines Redesigned KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines, 17 October 2006



Ground services Passengers may check-in between two to 48 hours prior to flight departure. Passengers may do this traditionally over the counter or at the lounge within the airport. Self-service kiosks are also available at Singapore Changi Airport. Alternatively, they may check-in at the Singapore Airlines Service Centre at The Paragon in Orchard Road, through the internet or by short message service. Online printing of boarding passes is available through internet check-in. Passengers on short trips may also check-in on their return flight upon departure from the city of origin. Telephone and fax check-in services were discontinued from 1 January 2007.http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/checkin/index.jsp

Lounges The airline's Silver Kris Lounges are open to first and business class passengers, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members. These members may also have access to lounges operated by the airline's partners. These lounges are located in:http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/lounges/index.jsp

{||- valign="top"| | | | | | |}

Frequent flyer programme KrisFlyer is the frequent flyer programme of Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary SilkAir, with benefits extending to partner airlines including other Star Alliance members and Virgin Atlantic. It has six levels of membership, consisting of three KrisFlyer levels (KrisFlyer, KrisFlyer Elite Silver, KrisFlyer Elite Gold) and three PPS Club levels (PPS Club, Solitaire PPS Club and Solitaire PPS Club Life). New Solitaire PPS Club Life members will, however, not be created from September 1 2007.

KrisFlyer membership is free, and anyone aged 2 years or over can enrol. Members between 2 and 12 years of age will automatically be enrolled in the Young Explorer Club.

Enrolment can be completed on-line or by completing a form available at SIA offices, at SIA airport check-in counters and lounges and on board SIA flights. After enrolling on-line, members can print out their temporary membership card and they will receive a permanent membership card after making their first KrisFlyer transaction.

A KrisFlyer transaction is any eligible transaction on a participating airline. Airlines may mark transactions as ineligible at their discretion. In particular, Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights in booking classes V, Q, G, N and T (group and promotional fares) and SilkAir flights in booking classes W and L are ineligible. Economy Class flight sectors are only eligible if all flight sectors in the same itinerary are also eligible.

Members can earn miles to qualify for KrisFlyer Elite or PPS Club status, and redeem miles for travel awards.If miles are earned by flying First or Business Class on SIA or SilkAir and credited to a partner airline's frequent flyer program, they count towards PPS Club status but not travel awards.

Elite miles are extra miles earned for flying Business Class or First Class, excluding tier and promotional bonuses.

KrisFlyer KrisFlyer Elite Silver Earning 25,000 Elite miles in a year qualifies a member for KrisFlyer Elite Status status for a year. This status is renewed by earning 25,000 Elite miles in a year.{{cite web | title = About KrisFlyer Elite Silver -- Singapore Airlines | url = http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/aboutkf/elitesilver.jsp | accessdate = 2007-04-22-->

Elite Silver privileges include:

* Except on Varig and Virgin Atlantic.

KrisFlyer Elite Gold Once a member has KrisFlyer Elite Silver status, earning 50,000 Elite miles in a year qualifies them for KrisFlyer Elite Gold status for a year. This status is renewed by earning 50,000 Elite miles in a year.{{cite web | title = About KrisFlyer Elite Gold -- Singapore Airlines | url = http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/aboutkf/elitegold.jsp | accessdate = 2007-04-25-->

Elite Gold offers all of the privileges of Elite Silver, plus additional privileges, including:

PPS Club PPS is an abbreviation of Priority Passenger Service, but this long format is never officially used. This status is achievable only by flying Business Class or First Class on Singapore Airlines, or Business Class on SilkAir. Members must accumulate $25,000 worth of PPS Value within a year to qualify or re-qualify.{{cite web | title = PPS Club Membership -- Singapore Airlines | url = http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/aboutpps/pps.jsp | accessdate = 2007-04-25-->

The PPS Club offers all of the privileges of KrisFlyer Elite Gold, plus additional privileges, including:

Solitaire PPS Club Once a member has PPS Club status, flying 500,000 PPS miles or 250 sectors qualifies them for Solitaire PPS Club status. This status is retained as long as the member has PPS status.

Solitaire PPS offers all of the privileges of PPS, plus additional privileges, including:

* From 2007 September 1, Solitaire PPS Club members can access the First Class area of Silver Kris lounges only when travelling with Singapore Airlines or SilkAir.

Miles earned last for a maximum of 3 years and must be used, regardless of subsequent miles earned during that time. Miles can be extended for 6 months once for US$20 per 1,000 miles.http://www.iht.com/articles/2002/05/03/trqa_ed3_.php?page=1http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/customerservice/terms.jsp

Solitaire PPS Club Life Flying 1,875,000 PPS miles or 1,000 sectors qualifies a member for Solitaire PPS Club Life status. This is the same as Solitaire PPS status, except it applies for the member's lifetime. New members will not be accepted from 1 September 2007.

Destinations Singapore Airlines flies to 64 destinations in 35 countries on five continents from its primary hub in Singapore. It has a particularly strong presence in the Southeast Asian region, which together with its subsidiary SilkAir, connects Singapore with more international destinations in the region than any other Southeast Asian airline.

Beyond the immediate region, the airline has a key role in the important Kangaroo Route. It flew 11.0% of all international traffic into and out of Australia in the year ended June 2006, second only to Qantas, for a total of 2,324,530 passengers and accounting for 65% of the market on that segment.

While the airline does not maintain sizeable hubs elsewhere, it has taken advantage of liberal bilateral aviation agreements between Singapore and Thailand, and with the United Arab Emirates, to offer more onward connections from Bangkok and Dubai respectively. On 1 September 2005, for example, it launched six-times weekly flights between Bangkok and Tokyo. China and India are major markets for the airline and has fueled much of its growth in recent years, with flights to Beijing were increased to 3 times daily from 1 June 2005, and flights to Bangalore increased to daily.

The airline's strengths have also invited protectionist measures to keep it out of key foreign markets. In particular, it has been unsuccessful in gaining access on the transatlantic routes between London-Heathrow and the United States, and on the transpacific routes from Australia to the United States. The airline protested when Cathay Pacific was allowed on the transatlantic route in 2003. The Australian authorities deferred decisions to allow the airline on the route to the United States from AustraliaSingapore Airlines has stated that it wants to dramatically expand service to Canada and establish a North America hub in Vancouver, but has complained about being shut out by Canada's protectionist policies. Airlines’ The sky that is limited, The Vancouver Sun, retrieved 7 April 2007

Codeshare agreements at Singapore Changi Airport in Star Alliance livery while still maintaining its corporate logo on the tail, the only Star Alliance member to do so.Singapore Airlines has codeshare agreements with its fully-owned subsidiary SilkAir, Virgin Atlantic Airways in which it owns a 49% stake, Malaysian Airlines and Royal Brunei Airlines, where it codeshares on selected regional routes, and with Star Alliance member airlines, which it became a member of in April 2000.

{]| Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and San Francisco|-|Air New Zealand|Tokyo|-|[Asiana|Cairo|-|[LOT Polish Airlines|Frankfurt, Hannover, Bremen, Hamburg, Dresden, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Cologne, Nuremberg, Berlin, Muenster, Geneva, Brussels, Vienna, Prague, Nice, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Auckland, Christchurch, Milan, Paris, Budapest, Rome, Munich, Perth Perth Airport International Arrivals Amadeus Flight Timetable search Singapore-Perth|-|[Malaysia Airlines|Bandar Seri Begawan|-|[SilkAir|Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London|-|[US Airways US Airways Signs New Codeshare Agreement With Singapore Airlines]|Washington, Boston, Miami, Orlando, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dubai|}

In 2005, the airline increased codeshare flights to New Zealand with Air New Zealand, and increased the frequency of flights to destinations in India and Australia. EgyptAir announced codesharing with Singapore Airlines on SIA's thrice weekly Cairo-Dubai-Singapore-Sydney route.

On August 152005, Virgin Atlantic, which flies the Kangaroo route between Australia and the United Kingdom via Hong Kong, denied it was in talks with part owner Singapore Airlines about extending its code sharing arrangements from Singapore to {{Infobox Airline| airline = Singapore Airlines (SIA)| logo = SIA Logo.gif| logo_size = 300px| fleet_size = 94 (+86 orders, 59 options)| destinations = 64| IATA = SQ| ICAO = SIA| callsign = SINGAPORE| company_slogan = A Great Way To Fly| founded = 1947 (as Malayan Airways)| headquarters = Singapore ([Chief executive officer)| hubs = Singapore Changi Airport
[Suvarnabhumi Airport[KrisFlyer#PPS Club| lounge = Silver Kris Lounge| alliance = Star Alliance
[SIA Engineering Company
SilkAir
Singapore Airlines Cargo
Singapore Flying College of [Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Singapore Changi Airport and has a presence in the airline markets of Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and the competitive "kangaroo route" between Europe and Oceania. The company also operates Transpacific flights, including two of the world's longest non-stop flight from Singapore to Newark, New Jersey, New Jersey and Los Angeles, California, California. The first non-stop flight between Singapore and Los Angeles, USA, Singapore Infopedia (National Library Board of Singapore), retrieved on 1 January 2007.

SIA has diversified into Aircraft ground handling, aviation engineering, air catering, and Travel agency. Its wholly owned subsidiary, SilkAir, manages regional flights to secondary cities with smaller capacity requirements, particularly those in Southeast Asia, China and India. Strong growth potential in Cargo airline operations prompted the setting up of a separate subsidiary, Singapore Airlines Cargo, which leased the entire freighter fleet from SIA and manages the cargo holds in all existing SIA aircraft. The airline also responded to the threats posed by the Low-cost carrier by taking a 49% stake in Tiger Airways. Collectively, the Singapore Airlines Group (including SilkAir and Singapore Airlines Cargo) is the world's largest carrier by market capitalization, having overtaken Southwest Airlines in 2006/7, and ranks amongst the top 15 carriers worldwide in terms of revenue passenger kilometres. In addition, it is the List of largest airlines in Asia and ranked 6th in the world in terms of international passengers carried.

Singapore Airlines was ranked 17th in Fortune (magazine) World’s Most Admired Companies rankings in 2007) and has built up a strong brand name as a trendsetter in the aviation industry, particularly in terms of service excellence, innovation, and safety, Singapore Airlines - An Excellent Asian Brand, Venture Republic, retrieved 2 January 2007 coupled with consistent profitability. Cost-Effective Service Excellence: Lessons from Singapore Airlines, Business Strategy Review, retrieved 2 January 2007 It has won numerous Singapore Airlines awards and accolades, and is an industry bellwether for aircraft purchases. The airline was Asia's first and the world's third airline to be accredited by IATA with the IOSA (IATA Operations Safety Audit). IOSA - IATA Operational Safety Audit, IATA website, retrieved January 1 2007 9V-SPA takes off from London Heathrow Airport bound for Singapore Changi Airport. The airline uses its main base at Singapore to compete on the lucrative "kangaroo route".

History Early history (VR-SCD) - the first aircraft type operated by Malayan Airways, which was the forerunner of Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines began with the incorporation of Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MAL) on 12 October 1947, by the Ocean Steamship Company of Liverpool, the Straits Steamship Company of Singapore and Imperial Airways. The airline's first flight was a chartered flight from the United Kingdom Straits Settlement of Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on 2 April 1947 using an Airspeed Consul twin-engined airplane. Regular weekly scheduled flights quickly followed from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang from 1 May 1947 with the same aircraft type. The airline continued to expand during the rest of the 1940s and 1950s, as other British Commonwealth of Nations airlines (such as BOAC and Qantas) provided technical assistance, as well as assistance in joining IATA. By 1955, Malayan Airways' fleet had grown to include a large number of Douglas DC-3s, and went PLC in 1957. Other aircraft operated in the first two decades included the C-54 Skymaster, the Vickers Viscount, the Lockheed Constellation, the Bristol Britannia, the De Havilland Comet#Comet 4 and the Fokker F27.

When Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, the airline's name was changed, from "Malayan Airways" to "Malaysian Airlines" (though still abbreviated to MAS). MAS also took over Borneo Airways. In 1966, following Singapore's separation from the federation, the airline's name was changed again, to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA). The next year saw a rapid expansion in the airline's fleet and route, including the purchase of MSA's first Boeing aircraft, the Boeing 707s, as well the completion of a new high-rise headquarters in Singapore. Boeing 737s were added to the fleet soon after.

MSA ceased operations in 1972, when political disagreements between Singapore and Malaysia resulted in the formation of two entities: Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. Singapore Airlines kept all 10 of MSA's Boeing 707s and 737s, retained the international routes out of Singapore as well as the existing corporate headquarters in the city. Female flight attendants continued to wear the sarong kebaya uniform, which was first introduced in 1968. A local start up advertising company, Batey Ads was given the right to market the airline, eventually selecting the sarong and kebaya-clad air stewardesses as an icon for the airline and calling them Singapore Girls.

Modern history freighter at Zurich Airport in 1979. The aircraft was delivered on 20 November 1972, and was SIA's ninth Boeing 707 aircraft., dubbed Megatop, at Auckland International Airport. The Megatop is the flagship of the airline since 1989 until the introduction of the Airbus A380 in October 2007

Singapore Airlines saw rapid growth during the 1970s, adding cities in the Indian subcontinent and Asia to its 22-city network, and adding Boeing 747s to its fleet. The 1980s saw the addition of the United States, Canada, and European cities to the airline's route map, with Madrid, Spain becoming the first Hispanic city to be served by Singapore Airlines.

Boeing 747-400s were introduced into the Singapore Airlines fleet in 1989 and named Megatops. They were later complemented by Boeing 777s, Airbus A310s and Airbus A340s. Services were extended to southern Africa in the 1990s, when the airline began flights to Johannesburg in South Africa. The cities of Cape Town and Durban were subsequently introduced to the route network.

In 2004, Singapore Airlines began non-stop trans-Pacific flights from Singapore to Los Angeles and Newark Liberty International Airport, utilising the Airbus A340 (dubbed Leadership by the airline). These flights marked the first non-stop air services between Singapore and the United States of America. The Singapore to Newark flight set a record, which it still holds, as the longest scheduled commercial flight, with a flying time of approximately 18 hours between Singapore and Newark and 20 hours on the return journey.

On September 29 2000, Singapore Airlines announced an order for 25 Airbus A3XX (as the A380 was known at the time). The US$8.6 billion order comprised a firm order of 10 aircraft, with options on another 15 airframes. Singapore Airlines Announces US$8.6 Billion Airbus A3XX* Order The order was confirmed by Singapore Airlines on July 12 2001. In April 2004, SIA announced that they will launch A380 service on flights between Sydney and Singapore and onwards to London, creating the first A380 service on the kangaroo route.http://www.a380.singaporeair.com/news_pr_20050427.html Singapore Airlines - First To Fly The A380]

In January 2005, the airline unveiled the slogan "First to fly the A380 - experience the difference in 2006", to promote itself as the world's first airline to take delivery of the Airbus A380 double-decker super jumbo, which was expected to take place in the second quarter of 2006. SIA Reveals The "First to fly" Logo For Its A380 In June 2005, Airbus confirmed that due to unforeseen technical problems, initial deliveries of the Airbus A380 would be delayed by up to six months, Airbus confirms super-jumbo delay (BBC News: June 1 2005) with the first delivery now slated for November 2006, well after the peak northern hemisphere summer travel season. The announcement was met with fury by SIA's CEO, Chew Choon Seng, who threatened to sue Airbus, saying:

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He further stated that SIA will be turning its attention to Boeing instead, since it would be receiving the Boeing 777 before the A380. Nevertheless, SIA has indicated that this would not affect its promotional campaign.

In February 2006, the first A380 in full Singapore Airlines livery was flown to Singapore, where it was displayed at Asian Aerospace 2006. On June 14, 2006, Singapore Airlines placed an initial order for the Boeing 787 as part of its future aircraft expansion. The order consisted of 20 787-9s and rights for 20 more. This order came one day after Airbus announced that the A380 superjumbo would be delayed by another 6 months.

Upon completion of a review of the A380 program on 3 October 2006, the new CEO of Airbus, Christian Streiff, announced a third delay for delivery of the first A380 to Singapore Airlines. Airbus Confirms Further A380 Delay and Launches Company Restructuring Plan (Airbus: October 3 2006) The largest delay yet, it pushed the first delivery of a single A380 aircraft to Singapore Airlines in October 2007.

At a Cabinet meeting on February 22, 2006, the Australian government decided not to grant Freedoms of the air#Fifth freedom rights to Singapore Airlines on flights from Australia to the United States. Singapore Airlines had argued that transpacific flights from Australia suffered from under-capacity, leading to limited competition and relatively high air fares.

On August 16 2007, the airline announced that the first Airbus A380 aircraft will be received on 15 October 2007 and be entered into service on 25 October 2007 with a flight between Singapore and Sydney (flight number Singapore Airlines Flight 380/381). The airline plans to use this first aircraft, in a 471-seat configuration, on its London–Singapore–Sydney service.

Incidents and accidents See also: List of accidents and incidents on commercial airliners grouped by airline#Singapore Airlines There has been one accident involving passenger fatalities on Singapore Airlines.

Other incidents

Corporate management Singapore Airlines is the parent airline company of the Singapore Airlines Group of companies. The Government of Singapore investment and holding company, Temasek Holdings is the majority shareholder with 55% shareholding. The Singapore government has regularly stressed its non-involvement in the management of the company, a point emphasised by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew when he declared that the aviation hub status of Singapore Changi Airport will be defended, even at the cost of SIA. However, he was personally involved in defusing tensions between the company and its pilots, warned the airline to cut costs, and made public his advice to the airline to divest from its Singapore Airlines subsidiaries. Still, independent research typically rates the airline as practicing sound corporate governance policies in accordance with national regulations. In the lead up to the conclusion of the Open Skies Agreement with the United Kingdom on 2 October 2007, the Singapore aviation authorities referred to the airline's Financial audit annual reports to dispel the notion that SIA receives state funding, subsidies or preferential treatment from the government, despite being a Government-linked company.

Structure Singapore Airlines has diversified over the years in related industries and sectors, including Aircraft ground handling, aircraft leasing, aviation engineering, air catering, and tour operator. It has also restructured itself by hiving off operational units as fully-owned subsidiaries to maintain its core business as a premium passenger airline.

The Singapore Airlines Group comprised of 25 subsidiary companies, 32 associated companies, and two joint venture companies in the financial year ending 31 March 2007. It divested itself completely from two associated companies, namely Asia Leasing Limited and Mid-East Airport Services, where it previously held 21% and 41.6% respectively. It also sold all its equity share of 35.5% in a joint venture, Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise, to the Bank of China for US$980m on 15 December 2006

Some major companies in Singapore Airlines Group include:

{] 2007)] Private Limited||Joint venture||Aircraft overhaul||Singapore Limited||Subsidiary||Engineering||[Singapore (Singapore) Private Limited||Subsidiary||[Airline||100%|-|[Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited||41%|-|[Singapore Airlines Cargo Private Limited]||Singapore Limited||Subsidiary||[Holding company||81.9%|-|[Singapore Flying College Private Limited]||Singapore Private Limited||Associate||[Airline||49%|-|[Virgin Atlantic Airways||Associate||Holding company||49%|}

Suggestions to divest its two biggest subsidiaries, [SIA Engineering Company and Singapore Airport Terminal Services, have stretched back several years, in particular when Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew voiced his opinion that the airline should divest the two listed companies to focus on its core business in December 2005. The company has yet to react in kind, however, although it did evaluate this possibility.

Operational investments The airline has attempted to invest in other airlines in a bid to expand beyond its Singapore base, although the results are often financially negative. In 1989, it went into a tripartite alliance with Delta Air Lines and Swissair, but terminated their partnership in 1999 after divesting their 5% equity stake in each other's company. The airline purchased 25% of Air New Zealand in 2000. However following the near collapse of Air New Zealand the politics of New Zealand bought into the airline to rescue it from bankruptcy, reducing Singapore Airlines' stake to 4.5%. This was subsequently sold in October 2004 at a substantial loss.

SIA bought a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways on 30 March 2000 worth 600 million Pound sterling in cash in the hope of leveraging on it on the lucrative transatlantic market, but by 2007, there has been reports of underperformance and the possibility of divesting its stake. http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL0955460420070709?rpc=44 In September 2004, the airline established low-cost carrier Tiger Airways with a 49% stake, in partnership with Indigo Partners LLC, the investment firm founded by Bill Franke, (24%); Irelandia Investments Limited, the private investment arm of Tony Ryan and his family, (16%); and Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd (11%).

On April 20, 2006, the media broke the news on the airline's possible investment of up to 20% in China Eastern Airlines. SIA confirmed that negotiations were underway. Singapore Airlines Possible China Eastern Airlines Investment (Channel NewsAsia: July 21 2006) News of a possible stake in Aeroméxico also surfaced on 6 February 2007. Ya hay postores para Aeroméxico (El Universal: 6 February 2007) On 10 May 2007, the China Securities Journal reported that the airline is in final talks to take a stake in China Eastern China Eastern Airlines in final talks to sell stake to Singapore Airlines: report (Channel NewsAsia: 10 May 2007) of up to 20%, China Eastern, Singapore Air in final talks -paper (Reuters: 10 May 2007) resulting in a surge in the latter's stock prices. China Eastern surges on Singapore Airlines report (Shanghai Daily: 10 May 2007) However, a Singapore Airlines spokesman came forward to dispel these rumours and confirmed that while talks are in progress, they are as yet non conclusive. SIA confirms talks with China Eastern (Channel NewsAsia: 10 May 2007) On 2 September 2007, the airline concluded its purchase of a 15.7% stake in China Eastern, with Temasek Holdings holding another 8.3% in the Chinese airline. The deal will see China Eastern's parent company, China Eastern Holdings, shareholding drop to 51% from 59.7%, and give SIA the right to nominate two members on China Eastern's management board. The deal, worth 7.2 billion Hong Kong Dollars, will involve SIA buying 1.24 billion shares at 3.8 Hong Kong dollars a share, evoking a major rally in China Eastern's shares which rose 83.91% to hit 6.86 Hong Kong dollars a day after the announcement of the deal. SIA's empending entry into the Chinese market prompted Cathay Pacific to launch an attempt to block the deal by buying a significant stake in China Eastern and voting down the deal together with Air China, which already holds a 11% stake in the airline at the shareholder's meeting in December 2007{{cite news ] |publisher= Channel NewsAsia [2007|accessdate=2007-09-22 -->.

Financial performance {|class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"|+ Singapore Airlines Group Financial Highlightshttp://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/company_info/investor/annual_report.jsp|-!Year ended||Revenue
(S$m)||Expenditure
(S$m)||Operating profit
(S$m)||Profit before
taxation (S$m)||Profit attributable to
equity holders (S$m)||Earnings per share after tax
– diluted (cents)|-|31 March 1999 [2000 [2001 [2002 [2003 [2004 [2005 [2006 [2007||14,494.4||13,180.0||1,314.4||2,284.6||2,128.8||170.8|}

Operating performance {|class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"|+ Singapore Airlines Operating Highlights (Parent Airline Company only)http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/company_info/investor/annual_report.jsp|-!Year ended||Passengers carried
(thousand)||Revenue passenger kilometre
(million)||Available seat kilometre
(million)||Load factor
(%)||Yield
(%)||Unit cost
(cents/ASK)||Breakeven load
factor (%)|-|31 March 1999 [2000 [2001 [2002 [2003 [2004 [2005 [2006 [2007||18,346||89,148.8||112,543.8||79.2||10.9||7.9||72.5|}

Branding , are heavily marketed as the airline's icon.The Singapore Airlines branding and publicity efforts has revolved primarily around its flight crew, in contrast to most other airlines who tend to emphasize on aircraft or services in general. In particular, the nurturing of the female air stewardesses as the Singapore Girl has been widely successful, and is a common feature in most of the airline's advertisements and publications. The branding strategy aims to build a sense of mythical aura around the Singapore Girl, and portray her as representative of Asian hospitality and grace.

As part of efforts to build up the Singapore Girl icon, the airline runs a rigorous training programs for cabin and flight crew to ensure the SIA brand experience is delivered. The airline's repute, and the resulting prestige of the job has allowed it to be highly selective during its recruitment process as it receives numerous applicants locally and around the region.

Dressed in a version of the Malay Sarong designed by Pierre Balmain in 1968, the uniform of the Singapore Girl has remained largely unchanged. The male steward, in contrast, wears relatively sober light blue business jackets and grey trousers. In April 2001, the shoes were replaced by Pierre Balmain-designed safety shoes, in light of safety reviews after the Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crash where stewardesses complained of missing sandals.

Although a successful marketing image for the airline, it has also invoked criticisms for its sexist portrayal of women as subservient to male customers. Most feminist groups also contend that its reference is outdated, which sparks debates that most Singaporean women today are modern and independent. On 9 January 2007, the airline announced its intentions to tender out its existing advertising contract with Batey Ads, the Singaporean company, headed by founder Ian Batey, who is responsible for building up the Singapore Girl brand name and its partner since 1972. The image of the Singapore Girl will still remain, although SIA will now focus on advertising and promoting its modern fleet and technology instead. On 16 April 2007, the airline appointed New York City-based advertising agent TBWA\ to handle its advertising for the airline, beating two other shortlisted candidates, namely DDB and Publicis. This contract is worth Singapore dollar50 million per year over the following five years, making it the agent's largest win since it started operations in Asia in the late 1990s. The company provided no details about the three firms' bids, though its spokesperson Stephen Forshaw said they will start the new branding campaign "as early as there is a practicable opportunity". This change in advertising agency will not affect SIA's buying media agency, which is presently MEC.

Services Singapore Airlines have received numerous awards and accolades for the standard of service it provides. It claims to be "The World's Most Awarded Airline".

In-flight services Cabins Singapore Airlines announced a major upgrade to its cabin and in-flight service on 17 October 2006, its first major overhaul in a decade and costing the airline about S$570 million. Initially planned for its Airbus A380's introduction into service in 2006, and subsequently on the Boeing 777, the postponement of the first A380-800 delivery meant it had to be introduced with the launch of the first Boeing 777-300ER with the airline on 5 December 2006 between Singapore and Paris. There are no plans to introduce the service to the existing SIA fleet.

First class There are four variations of the first class travel, although the Suites class is designated by SIA as a "class beyond first"http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/exp/new/suite/index.jsp and uses a different fare class (R).

The flagship Suites product consists of separate compartments with walls about 1.5 metres high, and is offered only on the new Airbus A380. Windows are built into the doors and blinds offer privacy. The seat is as wide as any other first class offered by the airline, 35 inches. The bed is a separate mattress and comes out of the wall providing a 198cm x 69cm (78 X 27 in) sleeping area. Suites located in the centre can form a double bed after the wall is removed.Suites are not available for award redemption.

Introduced on 17 October 2006, "New" First Class on 777-300ER aircraft features a 35 inch wide seat upholstered with leather and mahogany and a 23in Liquid crystal display screen. The seat reclines to lie completely flat.

Standard First Class on Boeing 747-400 aircraft features lie-flat SkySuites with 78in seat pitch and 22in wide seats, while selected Boeing 777-200s and all Boeing 777-300 aircraft (used mainly on regional flights) offer lie-flat 60in/21in seats.

Business class Formerly known as Raffles Class, there are three variations of business class.

On Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A380 aircraft, a fully-flat bed is offered 1-2-1 configuration. The leather seat features a 15.4in personal television and an in-seat power supply. Singapore Airlines Redesigned Business Class, Singapore Airlines, Retrieved on October 17 2006

Spacebed seats are available on Airbus 340-500 services, Boeing 777-200ER services, and Boeing 747 services between Singapore, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the United States. The Spacebed seats are 27in(68.5 cm) wide and 72in (183 cm) long and convert to an angled flat bed. They have a retractable 10.4in (26.4 cm) personal television. The airline claims the Spacebed is the largest in its class, although Virgin Atlantic, an airline of which SIA owns 49%, makes the same claim. Virgin Atlantic - Upper Class As the Spacebeds are angled, they are considered inferior to full-flat beds, Singapore Airlines] , Skytrax] , Skytrax offered by some of its competitors, and passengers have complained of sliding down the bed while sleeping.

Traditional Ultimo Plus business class seats, which do not convert into beds, are offered on all Boeing 777-200 (excluding the 777-200ER), and 777-300 aircraft in a 2-3-2 configuration.

Executive economy class Premium economy is only offered on Airbus A340#A340-500 aircraft and replaces the standard economy class cabins. The seat has 37in seat pitch, 20in width and 150° seat recline, with a 9in personal screen and in-seat power supply at selected seats. A minibar is located at the back of the aircraft where light snacks and drinks are offered during the flight. Singapore Airlines Executive Economy Class, Singapore Airlines, Retrieved on May 6 2007

Economy class All economy class seats have personal TVs, footrests, an adjustable headrest with side-flap "ears" and adjustable seat recline. Baby bassinets are available at some bulkheads.

Economy class seats on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft are 19in wide and offer in-seat power and a 10.6in personal TV.

Cuisine to Tokyo.Singapore Airlines offers World Gourmet Cuisine in all three classes. Regional dishes are often served on their respective flights, such as the Kyo-Kaiseki, Shi Quan Shi Mei, and Shahi Thali meals available for first class passengers on flights to Japan, China and India respectively.

Business and First class passengers may also choose to use the "Book the Cook" service on some flights, where specific dishes may be selected in advance from a more extensive menu.

In-flight entertainment system and communication SIA's in-flight entertainment system, KrisWorld, was introduced in 1977. Long-range aircraft using the Wiseman 3000 offer on-demand movies, audio and Nintendo games in all classes. Business and first class passengers receive active noise-cancelling headphones.

In March 2005, SIA introduced Connexion by Boeing in-flight Internet service, and the system was extended to offer live TV in June. The service ended in December 2006 when Connexion was shut down by Boeing.

From October 2005, SIA has offered free language lessons in 22 languages and, starting December 2005, live text news feeds.

Singapore Airlines announced that Panasonic Avionics Corporation has been selected to create the new KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines' IFE system, using the new ex2 system. Singapore Airlines Redesigned KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines, 17 October 2006



Ground services Passengers may check-in between two to 48 hours prior to flight departure. Passengers may do this traditionally over the counter or at the lounge within the airport. Self-service kiosks are also available at Singapore Changi Airport. Alternatively, they may check-in at the Singapore Airlines Service Centre at The Paragon in Orchard Road, through the internet or by short message service. Online printing of boarding passes is available through internet check-in. Passengers on short trips may also check-in on their return flight upon departure from the city of origin. Telephone and fax check-in services were discontinued from 1 January 2007.http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/checkin/index.jsp

Lounges The airline's Silver Kris Lounges are open to first and business class passengers, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members. These members may also have access to lounges operated by the airline's partners. These lounges are located in:http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/lounges/index.jsp

{||- valign="top"| | | | | | |}

Frequent flyer programme KrisFlyer is the frequent flyer programme of Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary SilkAir, with benefits extending to partner airlines including other Star Alliance members and Virgin Atlantic. It has six levels of membership, consisting of three KrisFlyer levels (KrisFlyer, KrisFlyer Elite Silver, KrisFlyer Elite Gold) and three PPS Club levels (PPS Club, Solitaire PPS Club and Solitaire PPS Club Life). New Solitaire PPS Club Life members will, however, not be created from September 1 2007.

KrisFlyer membership is free, and anyone aged 2 years or over can enrol. Members between 2 and 12 years of age will automatically be enrolled in the Young Explorer Club.

Enrolment can be completed on-line or by completing a form available at SIA offices, at SIA airport check-in counters and lounges and on board SIA flights. After enrolling on-line, members can print out their temporary membership card and they will receive a permanent membership card after making their first KrisFlyer transaction.

A KrisFlyer transaction is any eligible transaction on a participating airline. Airlines may mark transactions as ineligible at their discretion. In particular, Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights in booking classes V, Q, G, N and T (group and promotional fares) and SilkAir flights in booking classes W and L are ineligible. Economy Class flight sectors are only eligible if all flight sectors in the same itinerary are also eligible.

Members can earn miles to qualify for KrisFlyer Elite or PPS Club status, and redeem miles for travel awards.If miles are earned by flying First or Business Class on SIA or SilkAir and credited to a partner airline's frequent flyer program, they count towards PPS Club status but not travel awards.

Elite miles are extra miles earned for flying Business Class or First Class, excluding tier and promotional bonuses.

KrisFlyer KrisFlyer Elite Silver Earning 25,000 Elite miles in a year qualifies a member for KrisFlyer Elite Status status for a year. This status is renewed by earning 25,000 Elite miles in a year.{{cite web | title = About KrisFlyer Elite Silver -- Singapore Airlines | url = http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/aboutkf/elitesilver.jsp | accessdate = 2007-04-22-->

Elite Silver privileges include:

* Except on Varig and Virgin Atlantic.

KrisFlyer Elite Gold Once a member has KrisFlyer Elite Silver status, earning 50,000 Elite miles in a year qualifies them for KrisFlyer Elite Gold status for a year. This status is renewed by earning 50,000 Elite miles in a year.{{cite web | title = About KrisFlyer Elite Gold -- Singapore Airlines | url = http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/aboutkf/elitegold.jsp | accessdate = 2007-04-25-->

Elite Gold offers all of the privileges of Elite Silver, plus additional privileges, including:

PPS Club PPS is an abbreviation of Priority Passenger Service, but this long format is never officially used. This status is achievable only by flying Business Class or First Class on Singapore Airlines, or Business Class on SilkAir. Members must accumulate $25,000 worth of PPS Value within a year to qualify or re-qualify.{{cite web | title = PPS Club Membership -- Singapore Airlines | url = http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/aboutpps/pps.jsp | accessdate = 2007-04-25-->

The PPS Club offers all of the privileges of KrisFlyer Elite Gold, plus additional privileges, including:

Solitaire PPS Club Once a member has PPS Club status, flying 500,000 PPS miles or 250 sectors qualifies them for Solitaire PPS Club status. This status is retained as long as the member has PPS status.

Solitaire PPS offers all of the privileges of PPS, plus additional privileges, including:

* From 2007 September 1, Solitaire PPS Club members can access the First Class area of Silver Kris lounges only when travelling with Singapore Airlines or SilkAir.

Miles earned last for a maximum of 3 years and must be used, regardless of subsequent miles earned during that time. Miles can be extended for 6 months once for US$20 per 1,000 miles.http://www.iht.com/articles/2002/05/03/trqa_ed3_.php?page=1http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/krisflyer/customerservice/terms.jsp

Solitaire PPS Club Life Flying 1,875,000 PPS miles or 1,000 sectors qualifies a member for Solitaire PPS Club Life status. This is the same as Solitaire PPS status, except it applies for the member's lifetime. New members will not be accepted from 1 September 2007.

Destinations Singapore Airlines flies to 64 destinations in 35 countries on five continents from its primary hub in Singapore. It has a particularly strong presence in the Southeast Asian region, which together with its subsidiary SilkAir, connects Singapore with more international destinations in the region than any other Southeast Asian airline.

Beyond the immediate region, the airline has a key role in the important Kangaroo Route. It flew 11.0% of all international traffic into and out of Australia in the year ended June 2006, second only to Qantas, for a total of 2,324,530 passengers and accounting for 65% of the market on that segment.

While the airline does not maintain sizeable hubs elsewhere, it has taken advantage of liberal bilateral aviation agreements between Singapore and Thailand, and with the United Arab Emirates, to offer more onward connections from Bangkok and Dubai respectively. On 1 September 2005, for example, it launched six-times weekly flights between Bangkok and Tokyo. China and India are major markets for the airline and has fueled much of its growth in recent years, with flights to Beijing were increased to 3 times daily from 1 June 2005, and flights to Bangalore increased to daily.

The airline's strengths have also invited protectionist measures to keep it out of key foreign markets. In particular, it has been unsuccessful in gaining access on the transatlantic routes between London-Heathrow and the United States, and on the transpacific routes from Australia to the United States. The airline protested when Cathay Pacific was allowed on the transatlantic route in 2003. The Australian authorities deferred decisions to allow the airline on the route to the United States from AustraliaSingapore Airlines has stated that it wants to dramatically expand service to Canada and establish a North America hub in Vancouver, but has complained about being shut out by Canada's protectionist policies. Airlines’ The sky that is limited, The Vancouver Sun, retrieved 7 April 2007

Codeshare agreements at Singapore Changi Airport in Star Alliance livery while still maintaining its corporate logo on the tail, the only Star Alliance member to do so.Singapore Airlines has codeshare agreements with its fully-owned subsidiary SilkAir, Virgin Atlantic Airways in which it owns a 49% stake, Malaysian Airlines and Royal Brunei Airlines, where it codeshares on selected regional routes, and with Star Alliance member airlines, which it became a member of in April 2000.

{]| Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and San Francisco|-|Air New Zealand|Tokyo|-|[Asiana|Cairo|-|[LOT Polish Airlines|Frankfurt, Hannover, Bremen, Hamburg, Dresden, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Cologne, Nuremberg, Berlin, Muenster, Geneva, Brussels, Vienna, Prague, Nice, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Auckland, Christchurch, Milan, Paris, Budapest, Rome, Munich, Perth Perth Airport International Arrivals Amadeus Flight Timetable search Singapore-Perth|-|[Malaysia Airlines|Bandar Seri Begawan|-|[SilkAir|Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London|-|[US Airways US Airways Signs New Codeshare Agreement With Singapore Airlines]|Washington, Boston, Miami, Orlando, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dubai|}

In 2005, the airline increased codeshare flights to New Zealand with Air New Zealand, and increased the frequency of flights to destinations in India and Australia. EgyptAir announced codesharing with Singapore Airlines on SIA's thrice weekly Cairo-Dubai-Singapore-Sydney route.

On August 152005, Virgin Atlantic, which flies the Kangaroo route between Australia and the United Kingdom via Hong Kong, denied it was in talks with part owner Singapore Airlines about extending its code sharing arrangements from Singapore to

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