Well this has to be one of the most interesting new route announcements in quite some time (thanks to Samuel for flagging this)…
In this post:
Drukair & Alii Palau Airlines partner on new route
In 2022, Singapore and Palau signed an Open Skies agreement, allowing nonstop flights between the two countries to be established. Singapore is of course a major global hub, while Palau is an unspoiled island nation made up of well over 300 islands, with a population of roughly 18,000 people.
We’re finally going to see this new Open Skies agreement put into action, with the introduction of service between the countries. Specifically, we’ll see nonstop flights between Singapore Changi (SIN) and Palau International Airport (ROR), which is a journey of 2,146 miles.
You’d probably assume that Singapore Airlines would be the carrier operating this route, but that’s not the case. Rather, this service will be operated as a partnership between Drukair (also known as Royal Bhutan Airlines) and Alii Palau Airlines. For context, Drukair is the airline of Bhutan, while Alii Palau Airlines is a paper airline that will be selling tickets for the flight.
The new route will launch 1x weekly (on Thursdays) as of November 23, 2023, and that service will be increased to 2x weekly (with the addition of service on Sundays) as of December 21, 2023. The flight will operate with the following schedule:
KB540P Singapore to Palau departing 12:20AM arriving 6:40AM
KP541P Palau to Singapore departing 7:40AM arriving 11:30AM
There’s a one hour time difference between the two destinations, so the eastbound flight is blocked at 5hr20min, while the return flight is blocked at 4hr50min.
Drukair will use its sole Airbus A320neo for the route, featuring 140 seats, comprised of 20 business class seats and 120 economy class seats. Tickets are expected to be bookable as of Monday, October 30, 2023, on Alii Palau Airlines’ website.
I understand the logic for this route, but…
The logic for this service makes sense. One of Palau’s main industries is tourism, yet the country has fairly limited air service, especially from Southeast Asia. Direct and easy air connectivity is one of the biggest drivers of travel demand, so a nonstop link between Singapore and Palau will make this a more popular destination.
Alii Palau Airlines is clearly trying to help with that vision. As you’d expect, starting an airline takes a lot of money, so the easiest way to launch operations is to be a paper airline, whereby you sell tickets, while wet leasing a plane from another airline. Now, admittedly that also limits the upside, branding, and ability to create a customized passenger experience, as you’re basically just a travel agent selling tickets.
But what I find fascinating here is that of all the airlines to partner with on a wet lease, Alii Palau Airlines made an agreement with the tiny airline of Drukair. Here’s how Drukair’s CEO describes this new service:
“As we mark the commencement of operating Singapore-Palau flights on behalf of Alii Palau Airlines, we’re forging a path of unparalleled connectivity. This partnership symbolises our commitment to opening the world to travellers, making the extraordinary journey from the heart of the Himalayas to the pristine shores of Palau more accessible and enjoyable than ever before. We’re thrilled to unite these incredible destinations, offering a gateway to adventure, culture, and natural wonders.”
Indeed, the flights will be timed so that you could fly all the way from Bhutan to Palau pretty efficiently. But how many people will do that? I imagine that’s a very, very small number.
Drukair has a small fleet of just five aircraft, and this route is utilizing the carrier’s biggest and most modern aircraft. This has to be one of the most unusual wet lease agreements we’ve seen in a very long time.
Bottom line
A new nonstop flight will launch between Singapore and Palau. It will be operated by a Drukair Airbus A320neo, and will be marketed by Alii Palau Airlines, a startup that’s hoping to promote tourism in Palau. This is one of the more unusual arrangements we’ve seen, so I’m curious to see how this turns out.
In theory, you’d think a service like this would best be served by a Singapore Airlines Boeing 737 MAX, but I imagine it’s just not worth it for Singapore Airlines, since there’s probably not sufficient demand for a daily flight.
What do you make of this mew Singapore to Palau route?
Jance..... have another drink !!!!
Tom, dude you know nothing. Sure flights from China stopped during the pandemic, but they are coming back. China was something like 60% of all tourists to Palau before the pandemic, and they are coming back albeit slowly. Lots of Japanese too.
Druk Air also operates a weekly flight to Dili on behalf of a Timorese carrier as a wet lease if I remember correctly.
This reminds me of that time I made up a flag carrier for Palau. I imagined the route map to look a lot like Air Niugini’s. I think Palau could use a flag carrier. I remember there was this airline called Palau Pacific Airlines several years ago; whatever happened to it?
Lucky it isn't a 737MAX, awful narrow cramped crash plane to avoid
Maybe Scoot will send their new E190s there.
Palau is an amazing place to visit, great food, people, snorkelling. I go a lot for work from Bangkok or Fiji and usually though Guam then Japan or Taiwan. This will be great for a weekly.
Janice - you need a geography lesson. There are no flights from China to ROR.
Get your facts straight before you go off and try and make a point
The fact there are no flights from China has nothing to do with geography. There are,however, flights to Taipei.
It’s because Palau is one of very few nations left that does not recognize the communist PRC but establishes diplomatic ties with Taiwan instead.
It won't take SQ to dump a daily 359 on the route if Drukair makes a go of it.
Good god, the level of ignorance so proudly on display here...is just depressing.
"Palau is an unspoiled island nation..."
Palau is hardly "unspoiled". It's over-touristed and quite "spoiled" by mass Chinese tourism, with many daily nonstop flights from all over China, and is heavily marketed to Chinese as a cheap, care-free fun-in-the-sun destination - think Cancun for China. Also plenty of daily flights from Korea, Japan, around southeast Asia, and beyond, though it's the impact...
Good god, the level of ignorance so proudly on display here...is just depressing.
"Palau is an unspoiled island nation..."
Palau is hardly "unspoiled". It's over-touristed and quite "spoiled" by mass Chinese tourism, with many daily nonstop flights from all over China, and is heavily marketed to Chinese as a cheap, care-free fun-in-the-sun destination - think Cancun for China. Also plenty of daily flights from Korea, Japan, around southeast Asia, and beyond, though it's the impact of mass Chinese package tours that is most ruinous.
"Both countries recognize that mass tourism can ruin it..."
That horse has left the barn years ago. Plenty of "ruin" for anyone to see on display every day in Palau. Cheap, packaged tourism has done that.
Are you confusing Palau with Pulau, the Malay/Indonesian word for ‘island’? Or with Pulao in the Philippines?
That is really outdated news. Palau has diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Both countries have an embassy in the other country. The People's Republic of China tried to force Palau to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan by sending lots of tourists there as a carrot then, when the tactic was not successful, banned travel to Palau. For several years including the present, tourists from China cannot go to Palau.
https://www.palau-airport.com/flights-schedule
ROR has been 0 and 2 flights a day on UA, twice a week on CI to Taiwan, and about 15 flights a month combined by 2 Cambodian airlines. 2 days a week, zero scheduled or chartered flights.
ROR is the only significant airport in Palau.
I was wondering where Jance got the information that there are many daily non-stop flights from China. He/She is probably confusing two different places
Breaking:
Qatar Sentences Eight Indians To Death Over Israel Spy Charges
And still they harbour the degenerate terrorist pig, Ismail Haniyeh.
Qatar is disgusting.
Time for a Qatar boycott
Very interesting indeed! I think Delta used to have a normal flight schedule to ROR, maybe? I went to Palau once, but it was on a charter flight from Seoul filled with divers. Best diving in my life and I hope to go back again!
Bhutan and Palau actually have something in common that might attract the same types of visitors. Both are small countries with incredible natural beauty that require a bit of physical effort (hiking in Bhutan, diving or at least snorkeling in Palau) to appreciate. Both countries recognize that mass tourism can ruin it, and are actively trying to protect their environment. So I can see how the same kind of people would want to visit both...
Bhutan and Palau actually have something in common that might attract the same types of visitors. Both are small countries with incredible natural beauty that require a bit of physical effort (hiking in Bhutan, diving or at least snorkeling in Palau) to appreciate. Both countries recognize that mass tourism can ruin it, and are actively trying to protect their environment. So I can see how the same kind of people would want to visit both Bhutan and Palau. No giant buses with loud obnoxious tour groups littering and spitting everywhere they go. I've been lucky to have visited both countries - can't recommend both of them strongly enough.
Even weirder is this isn't Drukair first non Bhutan flight out of Singapore , they operate Paro to Guwahati in India to Singapore to Dili in East-Timor !
Singapore to Dili used to be operated by Silkair but that arrangement ended
Well Drukair probably had an underutilized aircraft with an extra 12-hours to kill. Why not use it to fly a 'fifth-freedom - wet lease' to some remote location w/o an airline! Quite innovative actually.