Singapore Airlines Manchester-Houston Fifth Freedom Route Is Back

Singapore Airlines is to bring back its Manchester-Houston service from December 1st. The route, which was Singapore Airlines’ first transatlantic service from the UK when announced in 2016, will restart for the first time since the pandemic outbreak. Flights will run three times a week onboard the carrier’s fleet of Airbus A350-900s in a three-class configuration.

Singapore Airlines Manchester-Houston Fifth Freedom Route Is Back
Singapore Airlines is resuming its popular Manchester-Houston service. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Singapore Airlines brings back Manchester-Houston

Singapore Airlines has announced it will resume its Manchester-Houston service after the route was suspended for around 18 months. Flights are set to restart on December 1st and run three times a week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday).

The schedule is as follows:

  • SQ52 will depart Manchester at 10:05, arriving in Houston at 14:25
  • SQ51 will depart Houston at 18:50, arriving in Manchester at 09:30 the next day

Mohamed Rafi Mar, UK and Ireland General Manager at Singapore Airlines, said,

“We are delighted to resume our Houston flights and offer more travel options to our passengers from the Manchester region, after relaunching our flights to Singapore in the summer.”

Singapore Airlines Manchester-Houston Fifth Freedom Route Is Back
The Manchester-Houston service will operate three times a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Photo: Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

The decision comes after the U.S announced it will allow British travelers into the country from November 8th. Before the COVID pandemic, Manchester-Houston was one of the airline’s most popular ‘fifth-freedom‘ routes, as well as its first transatlantic service from the UK when launched in 2016.

Karen Smart, Manchester Airport Managing Director, said,

“It’s great to see Singapore Airlines bring back its Houston service, which pre-pandemic was very popular with our passengers across the north.”

Flights will be operated by the A350-900

The carrier’s A350-900 fleet will serve the Manchester-Houston route. Planes will be in a three-class configuration, consisting of 42 business (1-2-1 layout), 24 premium economy (2-4-2) and 197 economy class (3-3-3) seats.

Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-941 (2)
Singapore Airlines has the world’s largest fleet of Airbus A350s. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Singapore Airlines has a fleet of 55 A350-900s, overtaking Qatar Airways as the world’s largest A350 operator. Simple Flying got the chance to fly business class on one of SIA’s A350-900s back in 2019.

Karen Smart added,

“With the US opening up to British passengers from November 8 this route will be well received by the three million people across our catchment area that fly to and from America each year.”

35 years at Manchester Airport

Singapore Airlines returned to Manchester Airport this summer after an enforced hiatus, resuming its Manchester-Singapore service. This route is also served by the airline’s fleet of A350-900s in the same three-class configuration and runs thrice weekly.

Singapore Airlines Manchester-Houston Fifth Freedom Route Is Back
Singapore Airlines has operated at Manchester Airport since 1986. Photo: Getty Images

The airline has long retained a presence in Manchester (since 1986), with its return marking 35 years at the airport. Its popular Manchester-Houston route was first introduced in 2016 and became SIA’s first transatlantic service from the UK. Interestingly, the first-ever commercial A350 flight from Manchester was conducted by Singapore Airlines on the same route.

Are you happy to see SIA restarting its Manchester-Houston service? Do you have any plans to fly with SIA from Manchester? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.



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