SINGAPORE – Singapore Airlines says it’s too early to speculate on what the travel experience will look like and what will happen to airfares post-Covid-19.
The price of the air ticket is really a function of demand and supply, and we will adapt these curves accordingly as we get back out in the market and restart our services.– Lee Lik Hsin, executive vice president of SIA's commercial department
With many airlines working on social distancing measures to limit the number of people in an aircraft cabin at anyone one time, Mak Swee Wah, SIA executive vice president of operations, said, "All these issues are now being examined to see how practical they are both on the ground and in the air... so safe to say it will not be the same as the pre-Covid situation."
Air New Zealand, which has restored most of its domestic services, is encouraging customers to check in via the mobile app, with every second self-serve kiosk closed to support social distancing.
It has also introduced floor markers for queues at counters, service desks, bag drops and departure gates and will disembark the aircraft with fewer customers at a time;
Other measures include allowing for an empty seat between customers travelling alone and no meal service until 25 May within New Zealand to minimise contact between passengers and crew;
SIA has created four working groups to prepare for potential scenarios, it said during a briefing on its financial results on Friday (15 May).
In response to a question on fares and whether they will increase due to social distancing measures implemented on planes, Lee Lik Hsin, executive vice president of SIA's commercial department, said, "The price of the air ticket is really a function of demand and supply, and we will adapt these curves accordingly as we get back out in the market and restart our services.”
SIA has reported an annual net loss of S$212 million (S$148.7m) for the year ending March 31, the first loss in the airline's 48-year history.
In other news, passengers using Korean Air’s domestic flights must wear masks or appropriate face shields on board and during the pre-flight process. Korea’s largest airline is also considering whether to make it mandatory for international flight passengers to wear masks.