Travellers can enjoy shorter flights between Singapore and several Australian and New Zealand cities on select services, with more path optimisation expected on additional routes with six participating countries.
Carriers are already using optimised flight paths on routes to Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney, as well as Christchurch and Auckland – serviced by carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand.
Beyond shaving minutes off travel times, user-preferred routing (UPR) can also improve passenger comfort by allowing pilots to avoid turbulence. Reduced fuel consumption may also lower operating costs and eventually benefit air fares.
The move follows a 15-month trial that allowed pilots to chart optimised, fuel-efficient routes.
While the trial officially concluded on 31 October, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) says airlines may continue filing for optimal routes, with support from Singapore, Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
These six countries currently permit pilots from eight airlines to select optimal paths across their airspaces, covering 70 city-to-city links.