Scoot to Add Four to Six Destinations in 2025 With Arrival of New Aircraft

Delivery of up to 16 new planes will increase low-cost airline's capacity

- Esther Loi

The arrival of new aircraft will open up four to six new destinations for Scoot and increase the low-cost airline's capacity in 2025, even as it deals with lingering supply chain issues in the aviation industry.

Scoot chief executive Leslie Thng said the airline is expecting to receive 14 to 16 new aircraft in 2025. The delivery will comprise four Embraer E190-E2 narrow-body jets, seven to nine narrow-body Airbus A320s, and three wide-body Boeing 787s.

In a wide-ranging interview with the media on March 3, Mr Thng touched on subjects ranging from the current grounding of all six of Scoot's Airbus A320neos over engine issues, to the airline's declining on-time performance, which he blamed on weather-related events.

Besides opening up new destinations, the arrival of new aircraft will help Scoot serve some existing routes more frequently, he added.

Mr Thng did not provide more information about the new destinations, noting that the airline is still working out the details.

But he noted that more of the airline's resources—including manpower and finances—are being allocated to South-east Asia, from around 20 per cent in 2024, to 24 per cent to 25 per cent in 2025.

Following closely behind is the Chinese market, to which Scoot devotes around 20 per cent of its resources.

Scoot—the budget arm of Singapore Airlines (SIA)—also serves Europe, and it will launch non-stop 13-hour flights to Vienna in Austria from June.

This is where Scoot and its full-service parent company tap each other's networks to carry travellers through Singapore and take them to other destinations, said Mr Thng.

In particular, he noted that travellers on SIA's flights from other parts of the world can connect to Scoot's flights to South-east Asia via Singapore.

Scoot's flights to Vienna could also serve as a gateway to Eastern Europe for travellers from Singapore and South-east Asia, said Mr Thng.