Singapore - SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, will be transferring its services to Kuching in Malaysia and Palembang in Indonesia to Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, starting 29 October 2017 and 23 November 2017 respectively. Currently, the airline flies four times weekly to Kuching and thrice weekly to Palembang.

Scoot’s operation of the two services will optimise aircraft utilisation within the Singapore Airlines Group, at the same time meeting travel demand for the routes. Scoot targets to commence sales of its Kuching and Palembang services in August and October respectively, subject to final regulatory approval.

“The transfer of the Kuching and Palembang services to Scoot is intended to further optimise the SIA Group’s resources and present a better match of capacity to demand,” said Mr. Foo Chai Woo, Chief Executive SilkAir.

SilkAir will maintain its flight services to four other points in Malaysia, namely Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Penang. As for Indonesia, the full service airline will still operate to 11 other points: Balikpapan, Bandung, Denpasar (Bali), Lombok, Makassar, Manado, Medan, Pekanbaru, Semarang, Surabaya and Yogyakarta.

Besides this development, SilkAir had earlier announced in May that it will be commencing scheduled services to its first Japanese destination, Hiroshima, on 30 October 2017, subject to regulatory approval. Additionally, SilkAir will also be increasing frequency on selected services to other destinations, including Cairns, Kathmandu, Yangon and Penang from 29 October 2017 onwards.

Mr. Lee Lik Hsin, Scoot CEO, said, “Malaysia and Indonesia are important markets to Scoot and we are glad to be able to expand our footprint in these countries. Kuching and Palembang complement our robust Southeast Asia network and we are looking forward to bringing the Scoot travel experience to more guests in the region. Both destinations are ideal for travellers looking for a relaxing getaway with Kuching being well-known for its lush nature and rustic ambience, while Palembang is rich in history and home to delicious local fare.”

The addition of Kuching and Palembang to the network will bring Scoot’s destination count in Malaysia to six, and to four in Indonesia. Current destinations in Malaysia are Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang and Kuantan to come on line by February 2018; while Indonesian destinations comprise Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta and Surabaya.

SilkAir will assist customers who have purchased tickets for travel to Kuching and Palembang. Customers booked for Kuching for travel from 29 October onwards will be given the option to reroute their flight to another SilkAir point in Malaysia or to continue their travel to Kuching on a Scoot flight. Alternatively, they can also opt for a full refund of their tickets. Customers booked for travel to Palembang from 23 November onwards will be given the option to reroute their flight to another SilkAir point in Indonesia or alternatively, a full refund of their tickets.

All administrative fees and penalties will be waived for customers who have purchased tickets prior to today. This also applies to KrisFlyer redemption tickets. SilkAir guests who require further assistance may call the SilkAir Contact Centre at +65 6223 8888.