TBM Staff - Mumbai
About 60% of Scoot Airline’s passengers from India travel point-to-point, while 40% continue beyond Singapore to destinations like Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, and Melbourne, according to Brian Torrey, the airline’s General Manager for India and West Asia.
Scoot, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, operates 80 weekly flights between Singapore and six Indian cities. Singapore Airlines also holds a 25.1% stake in Tata Group-owned Air India.
Torrey mentioned that post-pandemic, the airline has shifted focus from traffic ending in Singapore to promoting onward journeys, with 40% of Indian traffic now heading beyond Singapore. This change highlights increased demand due to network expansion and system improvements.
However, Scoot seeks more bilateral rights from India to expand its operations. Torrey emphasised the need for flexibility in response to changes in bilateral air service agreements (ASAs), expressing hopes for future opportunities to grow Scoot’s presence in India.
The issue of sixth freedom traffic, where passengers transit through a hub en route to a third country, remains a point of contention between India and Middle Eastern countries like the UAE and Qatar. Indian carriers are split on whether to grant more rights to Middle Eastern airlines, with Air India and SpiceJet opposing it, while Akasa Air and IndiGo call for a comprehensive analysis before making a decision.
