This morning, when flight SQ52 arrived in UK Airspace, the flight started approach to Manchester from 40,000 ft but stopped at 30,000 ft as Manchester Airport was close due to snow.

The Airbus A350 (registration 9V-SMW) was rerouted to London Gatwick where it landed at 09:32 GMT, 15 hours after departure.

A bit more than one hour later, the same aircraft made a second attempt. The A350 departed London Gatwick and headed North but was put on hold for 60 minutes before the crew decided to return.

The flight to nowhere was on hold South of Gatwick for a while before it landed about 2 hours after takeoff.

The airline was scheduling a at 18:30 from Manchester to Houston but the crew is now out of duty limit, the flight will resume tomorrow.

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Singapore Airlines is stopping its longest direct flight SQ52 (duration 26 hours and 15 minutes, including the 1 hour 30 minute stop in Manchester) citing insufficient demand as the primary reason for this decision.

The carrier will maintain its five-times-weekly service between Manchester and Singapore Changi Airport. However, the Houston link will be completely severed, marking Singapore Airlines’ withdrawal from the Texas hub.

This move aligns with Singapore Airlines’ ongoing capacity adjustments and network review strategy. The airline emphasizes its commitment to aligning capacity with demand, suggesting that the Houston-Manchester route no longer meets profitability thresholds.

Singapore Airlines has not indicated whether this cut is permanent or temporary, leaving the door open for potential future resumption. The carrier has served Houston since March 2008, initially operating a route from Houston to Singapore via Moscow.

This decision impacts the unique fifth-freedom flight offering, which allowed passengers to travel between Houston and Manchester on a non-British or American carrier.

Singapore Airlines Houston Flights

The airline maintains other fifth-freedom routes, including New York-Frankfurt-Singapore and Los Angeles-Tokyo-Singapore. Houston-Manchester emerges as the underperforming link in Singapore Airlines’ U.S. network.

Initially connecting Houston with Moscow, capitalizing on oil industry ties, the route shifted to Manchester in 2016. Despite potential connectivity through United Airlines’ Houston hub, travelers found more efficient options via Los Angeles or San Francisco for Singapore-bound journeys.

This cancellation impacts travelers seeking unique mileage redemption opportunities on a premium carrier for U.S.-Europe flights. However, Singapore Airlines simultaneously announces network expansions elsewhere, including increased frequencies and aircraft upgrades across European routes and additional flights to Johannesburg.

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