Singapore Airlines to End Abu Dhabi and Athens Links

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has revealed that “sustained weak performance” will result in the closure of its routes from Singapore Changi to Athens, Greece and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), before the end of this year. The airline has confirmed that it will close the two routes at the end of the Northern Summer schedules with the final services to each destination due to operate on October 26, 2012. “The suspensions are in line with Singapore Airlines' policy to match capacity to prevailing market demand,” it said in a statement.

SIA has been serving the Greek capital since 1972 but the country has been at the centre of the recent eurozone debt crisis which would have had a significant impact on demand on the route. Abu Dhabi was added to the SIA network in 2006 to complement the airline’s existing flights to Dubai, but has failed to prove itself as a standalone destination. The airline will retain links to UAE via Dubai but passengers flying to Athens will have to make connections with other Star Allaince partners.