SIA will restart its Singapore-Athens service after having suspended the route in 2012 after 40 years of operations.
But don't hold your breath. For starters, it will be a seasonal service aimed at the leisure market which means SIA will only ply the route between June 9 and September 26, 2014.
Secondly, although flights will operate non-stop, SIA will be using one of its older 285-seater B777-200ERs (see seatplans.com) and these aircraft are not equipped with the airline's newest business class seating.
Flights will operate twice weekly, on Mondays and Thursdays. Flight SQ382 departs Singapore at 0205 to arrive into Athens the same morning at 0830 after a journey time of 11hrs 25 mins.
Return flight SQ381 leaves Athens at 1300 to arrive back into Singapore at 0830. This service takes 10hrs 55 mins.
Quoted in The Straits Times, SIA said it took the "difficult decision" to suspend year-round services to Athens in October 2012 "after a prolonged period of challenging operating conditions".
SIA will have the monopoly on the route for direct and non-stop service. Its main rivals will be the likes of Emirates and Qatar Airways who fly via their Gulf hubs.
As always, connections will be available over the Singapore hub so next summer's service will attract passengers flying to or from Europe, Asia and Australasia.
Alex McWhirter
