Valuair considers flights to eastern Australia

Airline Industry Information, May 6, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Singapore budget carrier Valuair is reportedly considering routes to eastern Australia.

The move would put the carrier in direct competition with major international airlines, such as Singapore Airlines Ltd and Qantas Airways Ltd, reported the Business Times newspaper.

Flights from Singapore to Australia take about seven hours, while budget airlines usually operate flights of no longer than four hours. Valuair is considering using wide-body aircraft like the Airbus A330 or the Boeing 777, which are also not typically used by budget carriers, reported the newspaper.

Valuair wants to offer customers a choice, the company's chairman said.

Currently Valuair flies to Chengdu and Xiamen, China; Bangkok, Thailand; Jakarta, Indonesia; Perth, Australia; and Hong Kong.

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