Singapore Airlines chief executive Goh Choon Phong and Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti announced today new direct flights between the nation's capital and Singapore.
Virgin Australia will bolster its position within the lucrative business and government travel market, which it fiercely competes with Qantas, with a codeshare agreement with Singapore's national carrier.
The route will be served by a Singapore Airlines' Boeing 777-200 aircraft from September, 2016. The aircraft has 38 seats in business class, with a 2-2-2 configuration, and 228 seats in economy, with 3-3-3 configuration.
Fly direct to Singapore from Canberra with Singapore Airlines
The new flights will operate four times per week, with an overnight flight in each direction for easy connections, continuing on to Wellington, New Zealand.
Currently, Canberra flyers are required to connect via Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane for international travel.
Canberra Airport chairman and owner, Terry Snow, said, "I can't think of a better partner than Singapore Airlines with its reputation for quality and excellence to be the first to set Canberra Airport on this historic course."
Mr Goh said Singapore Airlines was excited about the prospects of the new 'capital express' service, which he said would appeal to leisure, business and corporate travellers. The new Singapore Airlines flights will offer easy, same day, connections throughout Asia and onto Europe.
Through the Virgin Australia codeshare arrangement, all eligible passengers will have access to Virgin's Lounge at Canberra Airport and earn status credits and frequent flyer points on the Singapore Airlines service.
