Oh Canada: Singapore Airlines axes Vancouver route

Back in December 2021, Singapore Airlines reinstated flights to Vancouver, which restored non-stop service between Singapore and Canada for the first time in 12 years. Initially a seasonal service linked to Seattle, it later became a stand-alone, year-round service with three flights per week.

Unfortunately, this revival has proven to be short-lived. In its latest investor update, Singapore Airlines announced a suspension of flights to Vancouver, effective October 2023. 

SIA will mount supplementary flights to Barcelona, Frankfurt, and Rome during the 2023 summer peak. Services to Busan will resume in August 2023.

Scoot’s services to Gold Coast and SIA’s services to Vancouver will be suspended with effect from July 2023 and October 2023 respectively, as the Group adjusts its capacity in response to demand.

-Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines to end service to Vancouver

Singapore Airlines currently operates 3x weekly service from Singapore to Vancouver on SQ48/47 as follows:

• SQ48: Depart SIN 0700 | Arrive YVR 0515 [Tue, Thu, Sat]
• SQ47: Depart YVR 0835 | Arrive SIN 1725 (+1) [Tue, Thu, Sat]

This service will be discontinued in October, presumably when the IATA Summer Schedule ends on 28 October 2023.

Singapore Airlines’ upcoming withdrawal from Vancouver marks the second time the national carrier has pulled out of Canada, the first coming back in April 2009 during the Global Financial Crisis when the service (then via Seoul Incheon) was axed.

It was hoped that the December 2021 reinstatement would mark a return of regular air links between the two countries, boosted by the addition of Canada to the Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme (remember that?), but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out.

Why that’s the case is anyone’s guess, though it should be noted that Vancouver isn’t short of services to East Asia; ANA, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, and Philippine Airlines all fly there, in addition to several of the Chinese airlines. I thought that non-stop flights between Canada and Singapore would open up attractive one-stop connections between Canada and the rest of Singapore Airlines’ regional destinations, but the demand just hasn’t materialised.

I’m sure Singapore Airlines has considered alternative options like tagging the flight on to a city like Hong Kong, but perhaps the reopening of China throws another spanner into the works- once China Southern et al start flogging cheap fares to North America, the economics become much tougher.

I know this is far from scientific, but when I do a search for the seat map on SQ48 from SIN-YVR this week, the loads in Business Class look none too shabby…

Conclusion

Singapore Airlines’ return to Canada has lasted just under two years, with the airline deciding to cut its Vancouver service from October 2023. 

It’s unfortunate news indeed, especially for those who were fans of the skiing season in Whistler. I suppose you could still fly to Seattle and drive from there, but it’s obviously more of a hassle.

Goodbye Canada- let’s hope it’s not another 12 years before we see non-stop service again.