Singapore Airline not fussed by empty seats while ACT records rise in tourism

Singapore Airlines is "pleased" with the number of passengers flying in and out of Canberra although a federal government report has revealed lots of empty seats on its first flights. A report into international airline activity in September by the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development showed more than 3200 people flew in and out of Canberra after the Capital Express route launched on September 21. But while the first flight that touched down was 95 per cent full, analysis has shown the six flights from Wellington to Canberra had an average of 94 seats occupied. Flights from Singapore to Canberra fared a little better, with an average of 142 seats occupied per flight. The Boeing 777-200 can carry up to 266 passengers, which includes 38 business class seats and 228 economy seats. However these figures do not take into account traffic carried via Canberra between Singapore and Wellington, a spokesman from the Department of Infrastructure noted. The carrier wasn't fussed by the low numbers either, Singapore Airlines ACT manager, Tan Chin Yu said. "We have been encouraged by the support from the local community since we went on sale in January and remain pleased with the number of customers choosing to travel on the new service, both to Singapore and beyond with direct connections to UK/Europe," he said. "There has been a good mix of business and leisure travellers in both the business and economy class cabins."<br/>