Premiere of Singapore Airlines new Stockholm route
Tuesday 30th May was the premiere of the new Singapore Airlines route between Stockholm and Singapore. BusinessClass was present and provides this report from the inauguration at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport. We were also lucky enough to get a seat on board the first flight to Singapore, with what is Arlanda's first Airbus A350-900 service.
Stockholm is one of Europe's most expansive cities, and there are strong ties between Sweden and Singapore. Singapore is an important export city for Sweden; there are about 300 Swedish companies currently operating in Singapore. It is also a popular place for students, with many exchange programs operating between universities in the two cities. For the jet-setters among us, Singapore is also an attractive gateway to the rest of Asia.
Arlanda is currently undergoing an upgrade and over the next few years, significant amounts will be invested in the airport, the results of which will include a new pier, a new security control, improvements for the cargo operations, and, last but not least, the ability to facilitate larger aircraft, a response to consistent traffic growth at the airport. Swedavia,
owner and operator of most major airports in Sweden,
says that they want Arlanda to be the leading airport in Europe.
Both Sweden's EU ministers and top executives from SAS and Swedavia were present when Singapore Airlines' brand new Airbus 350-900 took off from Arlanda. The route will be the fastest from Sweden to Singapore.
"Stockholm will be a very important contribution to our Europe network. We are now flying to 11 countries and 15 destinations in Europe,” said Singapore Airlines' Regional Vice President of Europe, Mr. Subhas Menon, during the opening of the route. "On the new route, we have put our brand new Airbus A350-900. This is one of the world's most environmentally friendly aircraft, built of lightweight materials and very fuel-efficient.” The plane will also be the very first A350-900 that will operate in Sweden.
The opening ceremony was far from low-key. Sweden's EU Minister, Ann Linde, Singapore Ambassador to Sweden, Mr. Quek Poh Huat, CEO of Swedavia, Jonas Abrahamsson, and SAS Vice President, Hans Ollongren, all spoke before the first flight was relieved from Arlanda. It was also the EU Minister, Ambassador, and the three bosses from SAS, Swedavia and Singapore Airlines who snipped the ribbon to officially open the new route.
