Big sister, little brother

Big sis Singapore Airlines (SIA) attained the Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) Travel Awards Hall of Fame in 2002 for having been a winner for ten consecutive years. This year, little brod SilkAir was elevated to the Hall of Fame in the TTG 21st Travel Awards 2010. SilkAir has been “Best Regional Airline” from 1995 to 2009. Impressive feats for the tandem airline companies.

In a recent press get-together, SIA announced that it is expanding to a sixth continent – South America – in its route network. By March 2011, the thrice-weekly flights to Sao Paolo (Brazil) via Barcelona (Spain) will commence. Currently, SIA flies daily to Spain via Milan (Italy). With the new route opening, three of the Singapore-Barcelona flights will be direct routes, then proceeding to Sao Paolo. While a direct flight to Milan will also be in place.

Meantime, passengers can use their computers inflight and enjoy some fine dining delights with wines from the world’s top-rated vineyars, as selected by SIA’s select wine experts: Michael Hill-Smith of Australia – the first Master of Wine (highest wine qualification), Jeannie Cho Lee of Hong Kong (Asian Master of Wine), and Steven Spurrier of London (connoisseur & author).

SilkAir started operations in 1975 as Tradewinds, selling holiday packages to Singapore Airlines. By 1989, Tradewinds covered “exotic destinations” like Pattaya, Phuket, Hatyai, Kuantan and Tioman. Then it developed business destinations like Jakarta, Phnom Penh, and Yangon. By 1992, SilkAir was born as a regional carrier.

SilkAir is one of Asia’s youngest airline, operating 18 aircraft – 12 Airbus A320-200s and 6 Airbus A319-100s with Business Class and Economy services. It has 400 flights weekly covering 33 destinations in 11 Asian countries: Cambodia – Phnom Penh & Siem Reap, China – Cheng Du, Chongqing, Kunming, Shenzhen & Xiamen, India – Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kochi & Thiruvananthapuram, Indonesia – Balikpapan, Lombok, Manado, Medan, Palembang, Solo & Surabaya, Malaysia – Kuching, Kota Kinabalu,Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi & Penang, Myanmar – Yangon, Nepal – Kathmandu, Philippines – Cebu & Davao, Thailand – Chiang Mai & Phuket, Vietnam – Da Nang, and, of course, Singapore.

I have been a passenger in both SIA and SilkAir and I can attest to their excellent service and gourmet food and wine selections. Even in Economy class. When flying Business Class for long haul, one can really luxuriate in living as one of the rich and the famous. By December 29, my family and I will be on a SilkAir flight to Singapore. We will spend our New Year there with my four grandchildren in tow. We will do Universal Studios as well as the other offerings of Sentosa Island. – THE FREEMAN