Singapore Airlines has announced a new direct flight between Wellington and Canberra – the Capital Express. Beginning 21 September 2016, Singapore Airlines will begin a four times per week B777-200 service between our nationals capitals.

At first glance this is a strange announcement from one of the worlds premium carriers, but on closer inspection it may turn out to be a masterstroke.

Let me explain… its no secret new profitable air routes are like hens teeth and by themselves Wellington and Canberra would not be high on the list of key new destinations for an airline like Singapore Airlines. However, when you tie them together and connect them directly to a huge Asian hub like Singapore, the Capital Express has merit. For Wellingtonians, this link also provides many more options as an alternative gateway to Asia and beyond without a domestic trip to Christchurch or Auckland and for the politicians, the direct flight will cut the average trip time in half between capitals.

Currently there is no competition on the route, so for the time being Singapore Airlines will also have the sector all to themselves. This news is very exciting for the Canberra region too, as over 3 million domestic passengers pass through the airport per year and this will be the first scheduled international flights from Canberra to anywhere! Lets hope everyone has done the numbers and this new route is supported by travelers from the beginning.

Facts:

Population Greater Wellington Region – 500,000

Population Greater Canberra Region – 900,000

Population Singapore – 5,500,000

266-seat retrofitted Boeing 777-200 fitted with 38 Business Class seats and 228 Economy Class seats.

Flight Schedule:

First flight arrives in Wellington – Thursday, 22 September 2016.