To mitigate disruptions, Scoot has built resilience into its operations, including deploying additional flights to assist stranded passengers.
“For example, in some delays when the aircraft are not able to fly back to Singapore, sometimes we fly a ferry flight to the final destinations to bring back the passengers,” he said.
Mr Thng acknowledged that being upfront about delays is important. “In the event of a delay, Scoot will try to be as transparent as possible to make sure that we inform the passengers the reason as well as the duration,” he said.
The airline will provide “as much assistance” as possible, he said. Other than a possible ferry flight, Scoot may also provide food and beverages or a complimentary night’s stay.
STICKING TO THE BUDGET MODEL
Addressing speculation about Scoot’s shift towards a full-service model, Mr Thng said the low-cost carrier business model is still “the right one for us”.
“We still want to provide the options for customers to choose,” said Mr Thng. For instance, customers can choose add-ons like baggage check-in, in-flight meals, extra legroom and flexible flight dates.
“So if you prefer to travel on Scoot with a backpack, without any check-in baggage, without any requirement for food and beverages, you can just buy a fare-only ticket. And that will be the cheapest option for the consumer,” he said.
These options have become part and parcel of the budget airline experience, and customers are familiar with it since the business model came into the local market over two decades ago.
Providing these ancillary products and services also helps to grow Scoot’s appeal in the region, said Mr Thng.
“We have invested quite a lot within Southeast Asia now, so definitely, it is in our plan and our goals to carry more passengers,” he said.
This includes passengers from new destinations that Scoot previously could not serve due to limited sales and marketing efforts in those markets. By expanding its outreach, the airline aims to highlight its ability to connect travellers not just to Singapore, but a broader network of destinations beyond.
“From a network perspective, it’s no longer just point to point, but maybe via Singapore to the final destinations,” he said.
“So these are things that we look at holistically to see how we can continue to improve.”
