Singapore Airlines to offer Canberra Airport's 1st int'l air service

Australia's capital city will host its first permanent international air service, after Singapore Airlines announced it would be starting a new route incorporating Canberra in September.

Announced on Wednesday after years of campaigning by Canberra Airport, the newly-minted Singapore-Canberra-Wellington service - dubbed the "Capital Express" route - will be flown four times a week by a Boeing 777 jet.

Singapore Airlines CEO, Goh Choon Phong, told the media on Wednesday that the airline was excited to expand its Australian operations, and said the new route will appeal to a variety of customers.

"We are excited about the prospects for our new Capital Express route, which we are confident will appeal to leisure, government and corporate travellers," Goh said.

The service will depart Singapore at 11 p.m. local time on departure days, arriving into Canberra at 8:35 a.m. the following morning, before continuing on to Wellington for a 3 p.m. arrival (NZ time).

The return leg will depart New Zealand's capital at 8:15 p.m., will arrive in Canberra at 10:05 p.m. for an 11:30 p.m. onward journey back to Singapore (arriving at 5:30 a.m. the next morning) - all times local.

The international service is the first to serve the airport since Air Pacific briefly flew services between Fiji and Canberra in 2004, but it is the first permanent route for the airport.

Last year, the terminal underwent a redevelopment which allowed for immigration, customs and other international amenities to be added, while the lounge areas were also upgraded.

Earlier this month, the Australian Capital Territory's chief minister said an international route at the airport "makes sense," as the catchment area of travelers who live in close proximity to Canberra Airport well exceeded one million people.

The four-a-week service will begin on September 20. Endit