Singapore Airlines to Cancel Manchester-Houston Route, Boosts Flights to Key Destinations

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced the discontinuation of its fifth-freedom route connecting Manchester, England with Houston, Texas, effective April 1, 2025. This decision is part of a series of network adjustments that aim to optimize the airline’s operations and increase service frequencies to several high-demand destinations including Barcelona, London, and Milan.

The route, which currently operates five times a week using Airbus A350-900 aircraft, links Singapore Changi Airport with George Bush Intercontinental Airport via Manchester Airport. Initially launched in October 2016, the service was temporarily suspended for 20 months during the pandemic and resumed in December 2021. Although the Manchester-Houston segment will be terminated, SIA will maintain its five weekly flights between Singapore and Manchester.

In addition to these changes, SIA is planning significant enhancements to its European schedule for the summer 2025 season. The airline will increase its London Gatwick service from five times weekly to daily starting March 30, complementing its four-times daily flights to London Heathrow. Services to Rome Fiumicino will increase from four to five times weekly from June 26 through August 28.

Furthermore, SIA will separate its thrice-weekly Singapore-Milan-Barcelona flights starting June 24 through September 7, offering five weekly nonstops to Barcelona, an increase from the current twice-weekly service. Milan Malpensa will also see an increase to daily flights from four times weekly.

Beyond Europe, Singapore Airlines is expanding its global footprint with increased frequencies to other destinations. Flights to Adelaide, Australia, will increase from daily to ten times weekly during the northern winter 2024-25 and summer 2025 seasons. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, will see an increase to three times daily from nineteen weekly flights, and Siem Reap, Thailand, will increase to twice daily from daily. The carrier also plans to operate ten weekly flights to Johannesburg from December 11 to January 10, and reintroduce Airbus A380 service on one of its two daily Tokyo Narita flights from March 30 to May 31, replacing the Boeing 787-10.

However, the A380 will cease operations to Mumbai from July 28 to August 31 next year, and to Delhi from June 23 to July 27, to be replaced by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Dai Haoyu, SIA’s Acting Senior Vice President of Marketing Planning, emphasized the strategic nature of these network adjustments, stating, “Singapore Airlines regularly reviews our network and routes to align our capacity with demand. These adjustments ahead of next summer cater to the higher demand to several destinations, particularly during the traditional mid-year peak travel season.” This approach reflects SIA’s ongoing commitment to enhancing connectivity and service quality in response to evolving market dynamics and customer preferences.