Time to pick your dream destination with Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines and partners welcomed Samsung Philippines as part of the Showcase & Travel Fair. Shown with SIA general manager Balagopal Kunduvara are (from left) Ayala Malls head Rowena Tomeldan, Globe Platinum brand head Popo Yambao, Samsung Philippines marketing communications manager Bella Concepcion, BPI Credit Cards Business Division VP Jenny Lacerna, Singapore Tourism Board area director Lael Loh and SIA head of Marketing & PR Aiza Soller-Garcia.
MANILA, Philippines — As sure as December gives way to January, each New Year begins with amazing new travel plans. We all dream of getting away to faraway destinations, and Singapore Airlines has a way of welcoming those wanderlust musings with great flight deals at its Singapore Airlines Showcase and Travel Fair, to be held at Glorietta from Jan. 26 to 28.
For the fifth year, Singapore Airlines (SIA), which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017, partners with Ayala Malls, BPI, the Singapore Tourism Board, Changi Airport Group and Globe Platinum — and now adds Samsung — to bring you the best travel deals during its very special discount fair.
What kind of deals? Start with all-in round-trip Economy flights to Singapore for US$150. Fares to Australia start at US$540, while key European destinations begin at US$700. Travel to India (starting US$490), South Africa (US$700) and the United States (US$870) at amazing discounts. With a new fleet of dreamy Airbus A380s and streamlined cabin products, Singapore Airlines offers 84 destinations for those who love to fly right.
We spoke to Balagopal (“Bala”) Kunduvara, SIA general manager for the Philippines, Guam and USTT, and Lael Loh, Singapore Tourism Board area director for the Philippines, about the new push for travel. Lael noted that this year, Singapore is hitting the 700,000 mark for Filipino arrivals, many of them up to six-day stays, which is a milestone indeed. (She says the Singapore Zoo is worth checking out in 2018 for its expanded night visit, while Bala is a fan of Singapore’s F1 circuit, which happens in September.)
Singapore Airlines head of marketing Aiza Soller-Garcia welcomed media and partners, including Globe Platinum and Samsung, and walked us through all the best deals for 2018. The Singapore Airlines group (including SilkAir and low-cost flyer Scoot) now covers 349 destinations in 83 countries, adding Düsseldorf, Canberra, Wellington and Stockholm for 2018. Travel Showcase buyers can pick up Premium Economy seats starting from North Asia for $970, Australia for $1,020, India at $1,200, Europe for $1,400, South Africa and New Zealand from $1,550, and US cities from $1,900.
Business seats to various Southeast Asian destinations can be had for $690, South Africa from $1,900, Australia from $1,980, Europe from $2,370 and the US and New Zealand starting from $2,400. Fares are exclusive to KrisFlyer family members, BPI cardholders, and Globe Platinum subscribers, as well as Glorietta, TriNoma and Ayala Center Cebu shoppers.
Aiza walked us through the new Airbus A380 cabins, now offering ultra-luxurious Suites “so customers can experience a sense of exclusivity and intimate privacy” (though not to worry, 777 passengers: First Class SQ cabins are nearly as comfortable).
New KrisWorld inflight features allow you to personalize your in-flight experience, syncing your KrisFlyer account to your flight so you can continue watching your unfinished movies and TV shows on the return leg of your trip; and inflight food choices are enhanced by SQ’s “Farm to Plane” concept to support farmers for better environmental sustainability.
“The Philippines is an important market for Singapore Airlines and we hope we can carry out in Manila even better” with their new A380s offering new cabin services, noted Bala. (Expansion will depend on Manila’s airports, of course.)
With BPI’s partnership, BPI Credit Cards Division VP Jenny Lacerna explained, customers at the travel showcase can avail of Real zero-percent installment plans for up to six months with their BPI credit cards. Singapore visitors can enjoy $60 in Changi Gift Cards for every two tickets you book to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or India. Receive 500 KrisFlyer Bonus Miles when you book to select destinations like Bangkok, Canberra, Colombo, Dusseldorf, San Francisco, Sydney and Wellington. Fair customers also have a chance to win 50,000 KrisFlyer miles — equivalent to two economy-class tickets — to Singapore.
Globe Platinum customers will also enjoy special priority lanes during the travel fair, and snag special perks and surprises such as airport lounge access and worldwide concierge service, says Globe’s Popo Yambao.
“At Ayala, we always look for events that will give our customers a good reason to come to the malls,” said Ayala Malls Group head Rowena Tomeldan. “For our fifth year we’re happy to hold the Showcase and Travel Fair at our very busy activity centers in Glorietta and TriNoma, and for our Cebu customers the upcoming Cebu Travel Catalogue from Jan. 26-28, followed by the SilkAir Travel Fair in Ayala Center Cebu from Feb. 2-4 and the Davao Travel Sale from Feb. 16-18.”
The event ended with a raffle of Business Class tickets to Singapore, and all the partners posing with SQ airplane models in hand. You can tell they’re already thinking about where they’ll travel next.
* * *
Visit the Singapore Airlines Showcase and Travel Fair at Glorietta and TriNoma from Jan. 26-28. For bookings and inquiries, visit Singapore Airlines and SilkAir ticket offices, or call SIA Manila Reservations at 756-8888; SilkAir Cebu, (6332) 505-7871; SilkAir Davao, (6382) 227-5301; SilkAir Kalibo, (6336) 500-7226. For details, visit singaporeair.com/FLYSQ70.
