Scoot adding non-stop flights to Phu Quoc, Padang and Shantou

Scoot has announced some upcoming changes to its route network, with the launch of three new non-stop services to Phu Quoc, Padang and Shantou, as well as additional flights to Jakarta, Davao, Koh Samui and Vientiane. 

Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), today announced the launch of three new flight services to Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Padang in Indonesia and Shantou in China.

Flights to Phu Quoc and Padang will commence on 20 December 2024 and 6 January 2025, respectively, and will be operated on the Embraer E l90-E2 aircraft while flights to Shantou will begin on 16 January 2025 on the Airbus A320 family aircraft.

-Scoot

You might remember that the low cost carrier took delivery of its third and fourth Embraer E190-E2 aircraft in October 2024, which enables it to serve thinner routes to non-metro destinations that might not otherwise be profitable with larger planes. Scoot previously announced new services to Koh Samui, Sibu and Subang, as well as Kertajati and Malacca (which at 35 mins is the shortest flight out of Changi).

I’m particularly excited about Phu Quoc, as Vietnam Airlines’ previous attempt at launching a non-stop service in June 2022 never came to pass. Passengers currently need to transit in Kuala Lumpur or Ho Chi Minh, with the fastest possible journey still taking around five hours; the new service cuts that to just 1 hour 45 minutes.

Scoot’s new routes

Phu Quoc

From 20 December 2024, Scoot will launch a 3x weekly service to Phu Quoc, before adding two more weekly flights from 25 January 2025 to operate a 5x weekly service. 

The schedule is a bit odd here, with the inaugural flight departing later in the afternoon before settling into a more tourist-friendly lunchtime arrival and departure.  Do also note the rather odd departure time on 29/30 December 2024, though thankfully that’s just a one-time blip.

Flights will be operated by the E190-E2.

One-way promotional fares on this route start from S$135, and are already available for sale on the Scoot website. 

Phu Quoc is known for its rare wildlife and pristine beaches, and houses the Phu Quoc National Park, recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Not that it matters to us Singaporeans, but it’s also the only destination in Vietnam with a 30-day visa-free policy. 

Phu Quoc has also seen intensive development on the luxury hotel front, with the InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort, Dusit Princess Moonrise Beach Resort, Regent Phu Quoc and JW Marriott Phu Quoc all highly-recommended. 

Padang

From 6 January 2025, Scoot will commence 4x weekly flights to Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra. 

Padang was last served by SilkAir until 2006, and later by Tiger Airways until 2009. 

Flights will be operated by the E190-E2.

Shantou

From 16 January 2025, Scoot will commence 3x weekly flights to Shantou, a coastal city located in the Guangdong province. 

Flights will be operated by the Airbus A320.

Other route adjustments

In addition to these three new routes, Scoot has also announced some network adjustments to optimise fleet deployment:

• 🇮🇩 Jakarta: Scoot will add 2x more weekly flights, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 19x from 24 November 2024
• 🇵🇭 Davao: Scoot will add 2x more weekly flights, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 11x from 17 December 2024
• 🇮🇩 Koh Samui: Scoot will add 7x more weekly flights, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 21x from 20 December 2024
• 🇱🇦 Vientiane: Scoot will add 1x more weekly flight, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 5x from 9 February 2025

Scoot has also announced the termination of its route to Nanchang, with the last flight taking place on 14 February 2025

What’s the E190 onboard experience like?

Scoot has signed an agreement to lease nine Embraer E190-E2 jets from Azorra Aviation, the first of which arrived in April 2024. This single-aisled jet is the smallest in the Scoot fleet, with just 112 seats in total. 

But small need not mean cramped. The plus side is that seats on the E190 will be configured in a 2-2 layout, which means no dreaded middle seat; an ideal setup for couples.

Scoot designates Rows 1 and 11 as extra legroom seats, with around 34″ of seat pitch. Rows 2-4 are designated as front seats, which allow for faster disembarkation. Also note that Rows 10 and 28 cannot recline, because of the emergency exit (10) and bulkhead (28) behind them.

Like all of Scoot’s narrow body aircraft, the E190 will have two lavatories in total, and its smaller capacity will give it the best lavatory to passenger ratio in the fleet, for what it’s worth. Overhead bin space is understandably snug, though standard-sized carry-ons will still fit. 

Embraer says the E190-E2 has the lowest level of external noise in the single-aisle jet category, which should mean a quieter ride for passengers as well. 

For a review of the inflight experience, check out this YouTube video.

Scoot has currently taken delivery of four such aircraft, with a further five to be delivered in 2025. 

Can you redeem miles for these flights?

1,050 miles	S$10

KrisFlyer miles can be redeemed for Scoot flights, but only at a fixed rate of 1,050 miles =S $10. This makes it relatively poor value, at least compared to an award flight redemption.

Therefore, my advice is always to earn and not burn KrisFlyer miles on Scoot, as highlighted in the post below.

Should you redeem KrisFlyer miles for Scoot?

Conclusion

Scoot has announced the launch of three new services to Phu Quoc, Padang and Shantou, with the first two made possible with its new Embraer E190 aircraft. 

I’m personally looking forward to visit Phu Quoc in the near future, with the non-stop flight cutting the journey time by almost a third.