SIA should look at others, in order to stay ahead

I read Mr David Leo’s commentary “How SIA and Changi Airport can stay ahead of the competition” (Dec 27) with interest.

In the Art of War, Sun Tzu wrote: “If you know your enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

It is time for Singapore Airlines (SIA) to see how other airlines operate. SIA charges a premium for its tickets. In return, SIA offers a young and safe fleet, good in-flight services and entertainment, and punctuality. The carrier also founded customer service centres, which set the gold standard in customer service.

But many other airlines have reached SIA’s standard — at a fraction of SIA’s prices.

I recently took Qatar Airways to Oslo, Norway, with a two-hour stopover at Doha. My flight was on an Airbus A350, and although I am 1.8m-tall, I found the economy seats spacious. I was more comfortable than on my past few flights with SIA.

Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system, Oryx One, was just as good as SIA’s KrisWorld.

The cabin crew was mainly from the United Kingdom and the Philippines, and its service standard was comparable to that of SIA’s crew.

The transit at Hamad International Airport in Doha was smooth. It has a reasonably sized shopping mall and a great playground for children. For the same route, from Singapore to Oslo, my Qatar Airways’ tickets were 40 per cent cheaper than SIA’s.

Despite its lower charges and high standard, Qatar Airways reported a net profit of US$445 million (S$645 million) in 2016, up from US$103 million.

To stay ahead, SIA ought to find out how airlines such as Qatar Airways manage to reach the same service standard at a fraction of their cost, and still stay as profitable. Passengers are always looking for cost-effective options when they travel. And SIA and Changi Airport must always give passengers value for money.