Singapore Airlines has launched corporate training programmes covering customer service and digital transformation in a bid to boost finances
In its latest initiative amidst the pandemic, Singapore Airlines is branching out through a new division dubbed Singapore Airlines Academy. The carrier, best known for its service standards, will offer training packages on topics such as service excellence and leadership, handling challenging customers, and innovation. In September, it collaborated with Singapore’s Khoo Teck Puat Hospital to upskill frontline workers.
“SIA receives many requests from organisations wanting to know how we have attained our reputation for industry-leading service and operational excellence,” said Vanessa Ng, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Singapore Airlines. “Our focus on people development and investment in training has been key to achieving these world-class standards. We are happy to share our competencies by offering specialised training programmes to external organisations.”
SIA has borne the brunt of the pandemic as Singapore closed its borders to international travellers. Without a domestic market to rely on, the flag carrier was left in a more vulnerable position compared with industry peers. In July, it reported a 99.5 per cent plunge in passenger traffic and net loss of $1 billion for the first quarter of 2020. Travel into Singapore has gradually picked up as the city-state created quarantine-free travel bubbles with low-risk countries and regions such as Hong Kong.
“The Singapore Airlines Academy is a strategic move for the SIA Group and has the potential to add a new source of revenue in the coming years,” said Ng.
The Academy follows SIA’s earlier Restaurant A380 @Changi initiative, offering dining experiences on grounded aircraft. The carrier has also cut 4,300 jobs as it expects to operate below 50 per cent of its capacity in 2020/21 versus pre-Covid levels.
