Singapore Airlines faces narrow window to gain market share from Gulf rivals

As high fuel prices and disruption from the Middle East conflict force many Asian carriers to cut capacity and rearrange routes, Singapore-airlines" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="45386" data-entity-type="organization">Singapore Airlines (SIA) is moving in the opposite direction: adding long-haul flights to Europe in a bid to capture traffic from its Gulf rivals.Aviation analysts said the carrier’s expansion reflected a rare combination in the region: a strong balance sheet, insulation from sudden jumps in fuel prices due to its hedging strategy and a hub in Singapore that could help capture premium Asia-Europe traffic diverted from Gulf carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.The opening may be narrow for SIA to increase its market share, with Middle Eastern airlines gradually restoring capacity and fuel costs remaining elevated, according to the analysts.