Singapore Airlines boosts partnerships to improve access to North America, starting with Asiana

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is attempting to use partnerships to bolster its presence in the North American market. Asiana has joined All Nippon Airways (ANA), Air Canada and Virgin Atlantic Airways in providing connections to North America from SIA gateways in North Asia or Europe.

SIA could next turn to Turkish Airlines and potentially EVA Air to bolster US connections further as it loses US Airways as a partner. SIA-US Airways codeshares will be deactivated in Jul-2014, leaving SIA with only one US codeshare partner, Virgin America.

SIA has significantly reduced its footprint in North America over the years and discontinued non-stop services to the US in Nov-2013. Partnerships across the Atlantic and Pacific are a sensible alternative to filling the void. They are also in line with SIA's overall increased focus on partnerships to improve network connectivity.