Singapore Airlines and its subsidiaries are planning to increase flights to Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai once Singapore government works out allotment of India seats.

Singapore Airlines (SIA), which currently operates three flights from Delhi and two each from Hyderabad and Chennai per week, would be increasing frequency to these Indian cities, after Singapore government works out on allotment of India seats to airlines, a senior airline official said. 

SIA along with full-service subsidiary SilkAir and low-cost carrier affiliate Tiger Airways are utilising over 70 per cent of capacity between India and Singapore. The three carriers currently provide around 29,000 one-way weekly seats to India.

Last month, India has revised its bilateral air services agreement (ASA) with Singapore which allowed increase of 2,160 seats per week, about 10 per cent, for the Singapore-based carriers.

Indian carriers don't require a revised bilateral as they were using less than 40 per cent of the prior allotment. Four Indian carriers - Air India, Jet Airways, Air India Express and IndiGo - are currently offering about 11,000 one-way weekly seats to Singapore.

"We won't be able to increase any flights to Mumbai, which is second biggest market for us, as SIA is already utilising maximum permitted seats from the city," the SIA said.

The official also said that SIA, during the bilateral talks, had not asked for permission to fly Airbus A380 plane into India as the ASA between India and Singapore prohibits use of this type of wide-body, double-deck jets, which can seat as many as 525 passengers.

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