Emirates Gets Rid Of Singapore To Melbourne Ffith Freedom Route
Intro
Emirates consistently offers an extensive number of fifth-freedom routes across multiple continents. Out of Singapore, Emirates currently offers two fifth freedom routes, one being to Melbourne and the other being to Phnom Penh, Cambodia (which I am looking to book).
Well, Emirates has decided to axe the fifth freedom route from Singapore to Melbourne. No timeline has currently been offered to the public, but I would expect to see it happen in the coming months as Dubai offers alternatives to Melbourne.
The Details
The Straights Times has reported that Emirates had decided to axe service between Singapore and Melbourne. The airline supposedly informed the CS of its full intention to withdraw from the operation.
The current schedule of the flight is as follows:
EK404: Singapore-Melbourne departing 10:25 AM and arriving at 7:35 PM
EK405: Melbourne-Singapore departing 2:25 AM and arriving at 8:15 AM
Interestingly, Emirates flies non-stop from Dubai to Singapore and from Dubai to Melbourne. Those two routes will remain untouched as the schedule progresses.
Interestingly, Melbourne is served with the jumbo jet, which features an ample amount of space, while the Singapore route will continue to be served by the 777-300ER.
My Thoughts
The market from Singapore to Melbourne is highly competitive, with Singapore Airlines operating 5x daily and even operating a 777-300 with a first-class cabin on two of the routes. Combining that with Qantas's twice-daily service, it was tough for Emirates to maintain a substantial enough market in Melbourne, especially since they already operate twice-daily flights from Dubai.
It's sad to see an Emirates Fifth Freedom route come to a halt, although I would expect this to be an anomaly rather than a norm.
Final Thoughts
Emirates has informed the CCCS that it will be axing its fifth freedom route from Singapore to Melbourne in the coming months. While it is sad to see a fifth freedom route come to an end, there are 7 other daily flights for those looking to fly in the pointy end of the plane.
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