Singapore Airlines (SIA) has unveiled a significant UK capacity increase, announcing plans to raise its weekly departures from 35 to 49 across London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester from 25 October 2026. Key to the expansion is a move to double-daily Gatwick services, just two years after the route launched. Heathrow retains four daily rotations, while Manchester remains daily. The additional 14 frequencies add almost 5,000 weekly seats into the UK-Singapore market—welcome news for corporates with Asia-Pacific operations. Travel buyers say extra capacity should improve fare availability in premium cabins during the traditional autumn conference season, while freight forwarders anticipate more belly-hold space for high-value pharmaceuticals and electronics. Gatwick’s growth diversifies SIA’s London footprint and provides an alternative to congested Heathrow slots. For travellers outside London, retaining a daily Airbus A350 service from Manchester offers a straight-through option without a domestic connection, an important factor given ongoing rail disruptions to southern airports. SIA cited “robust and sustained demand” from UK leisure and VFR (visiting friends & relatives) segments, plus strong transfer traffic to Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia. The carrier also flagged corporate demand linked to the UK’s accession to the CPTPP trade pact, which is expected to drive bilateral investment. The move comes as rival Middle-East carriers improve frequencies, intensifying competition on Europe-Asia flows. Market watchers will be eyeing whether SIA deploys its new Boeing 777-9 on the Gatwick route once deliveries begin in 2027, further lifting capacity and product differentiation.
