Singapore Airlines to operate its shortest A380 flight

Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) is set to fly the A380 on a one-hour flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

From November to December 2021, the airline will operate on certain flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. The distance between the two cities is only 185 miles (around 297 kilometers), so the flight time is only 60 minutes. This means that the superjumbo jet will spend more time taking off and landing than actually cruising. 

Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) confirmed to CNN that the A380 will fly the morning flight thrice weekly from November 4, 2021 to December 2, 2021 while the evening flight will be flown four times a week from November 5, 2021  to December 3, 2021.

The airline is also poised to resume its daily A380 long-haul Singapore to London service from November 18, 2021. The short-haul A380 temporary service is reportedly launched for operational reasons.

Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) is not the only carrier to take the A380 on a ‘practice run’ on short-haul flights. British Airways will also be running the A380 on short-haul flights from London to Frankfurt and Madrid beginning from November 8, 2021.

This is a common practice by carriers, done so that flight crews can familiarize themselves with the A380 aircraft, which has been grounded for more than a year due to the pandemic.