Singapore Airlines to ground most of its fleet as travel curbs bite

Singapore Airlines to ground most of its fleet as travel curbs bite

FILE PHOTO: A Singapore Airlines plane sits on the tarmac at Singapore's Changi Airport March 11, 2020. Picture taken March 11, 2020. REUTERS/Edgar Su

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd <SIAL.SI> said on Monday it would cut its capacity by 96% up to the end of April amid tightening border restrictions that bar foreigners from transiting its hub in an effort to stem the coronavirus pandemic.

It said the move would result in its grounding 138 of 147 planes at Singapore Airlines and regional arm SilkAir and 47 of 49 planes at low-cost carrier Scoot.

"It is unclear when the SIA Group can begin to resume normal services, given the uncertainty as to when the stringent border controls will be lifted," the airline said.

(Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Himani Sarkar)