SilkAir Launches Flights to Hangzhou

SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, commenced its maiden flight today to Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province in China.

Hangzhou will be the 48^th destination in SilkAir’s network, extending the airline’s reach to eight destinations in China. SilkAir’s other Chinese destinations include Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Xiamen.

Flight MI918 departed Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 1000 hours, and is scheduled to arrive in Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan International Airport at 1520 hours. The return flight, MI917 will depart Hangzhou at 1620 hours, and is scheduled to reach Singapore at 2125 hours (all times stated are local).

Flights to Hangzhou are four times weekly, with departures on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The flights will be operated by the A320 aircraft, featuring both Business and Economy Class.

Well known for its breathtaking scenery and cultural sites, Hangzhou, like other modern Chinese cities, has gone through recent urban development. Yet, it still retains its historical and cultural heritage. The city’s main draw is the picturesque West Lake, where popular attractions such as Lingyin Temple and Six Harmonies Pagoda can be found. Hangzhou is also famous for its Longjing or Dragon Well Green tea, and boasts acres of lush tea fields growing some of the finest grades of this tea.

To celebrate this special occasion, customers on the first flight out of Singapore were presented with a silk scarf and inaugural flight certificates personally signed by Chief Executive SilkAir, Mr. Leslie Thng, and the flight commander. Customers travelling on the inaugural flight out of Hangzhou will receive similar gifts.

“SilkAir will be the only full service carrier connecting Hangzhou directly to Singapore. We are confident that this service will see strong demand from the different market segments, flying into Hangzhou and flying out of Hangzhou to our combined SilkAir and Singapore Airlines network,” said Mr. Thng. “China is an important market for SilkAir. The launch of our flights to Hangzhou shows that we remain committed to develop this market which has strong potential for growth.”  

With this latest launch, SilkAir’s frequencies to China will now increase to 50 flights weekly.

For Hangzhou customers, these new flights conveniently connect Hangzhou with the joint Singapore Airlines – SilkAir network of over 90 cities worldwide via the Singapore hub. From now till 30 September 2014, Hangzhou customers who transit in Singapore on to another SilkAir or Singapore Airlines flight can enjoy a S$40 Changi Dollar voucher for use in the airport [1].

Singapore promises to be an exciting experience for Hangzhou customers. They can enjoy a wide variety of attractions such as Universal Studios Singapore, Gardens by the Bay, and the famous Night Safari at the Singapore Zoological Gardens. Singapore also offers world class shopping along the famous Orchard Road, and exciting dining options around the city.

Detailed flight schedules to Hangzhou are as follows [2]:

Singapore – Hangzhou Services from 27 June 2014

Flights to Hangzhou (HGH)

Flights to Singapore (SIN)

Customers interested in booking flights and viewing fares for flights to and from Hangzhou can visit silkair.com.

[1] Terms and conditions apply, for more details, please visit silkair.com.

[2] All times stated are local.