New flight route connects Singapore and Palau, starts Nov 23

SINGAPORE — A flight route connecting the island nation of Palau to Singapore and Bhutan has been announced, with its inaugural commercial flight scheduled for Nov 23.

The announcement was jointly made on Friday (Oct 27) by Changi Airport Group (CAG), Alii Palau Airlines and Drukair, the national carrier of Bhutan, which is operated by Royal Bhutan Airlines.

Palau is an archipelago made up of about 340 islands, islets, and atolls lying south-east of the Philippines. It has a population of around 18,000 people largely concentrated in Koror, its former capital and the economic centre of the nation.

The five-hour flight between Singapore and Palau will operate once a week on Thursdays from Nov 23 to Dec 20.

From Dec 21, flights will be increased to twice-weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays.

Drukair will fly from Bhutan to Changi Airport, and then to Palau, with the Airbus A320neo aircraft used for the route.

The aircraft is a 140-seater carrier with 120 economy class seats and 20 business class seats.

The flights are scheduled to depart from Singapore at 12.20am, arriving in Koror at 6.40am.

Departures from Koror will happen at 7.40am, arriving in Singapore at 11.30am. Palau is one hour ahead of Singapore.

Tickets for this new service will be available on www.flyaliipalau.pw from Monday.

Previously, getting to Palau involved a tedious connection via Manila on a seven-hour route, excluding transit time.

The launch of the route follows the signing of an open skies agreement in October 2022 between Singapore and Palau.

"Palau is now just a five-hour flight away from Singapore, and we firmly believe that this new route will be a game changer for those who were previously deterred by long flight durations," said Alii Palau Airlines managing partner Akanksha Johri.

Lim Ching Kiat, CAG's executive vice-president of air hub and cargo development, said that the new route enhances its network with the South-west Pacific region, noting that travellers from Palau can also use the new flight to visit Singapore and other countries.

"Changi Airport is happy to partner Drukair for this new flight to Palau — we have forged a strong partnership over the years. We look forward to welcoming passengers on the Singapore-Palau route with Alii Palau," he said.

Tandi Wangchuk, chief executive of Drukair, said the three-way partnership symbolises a "commitment to opening the world to travellers, making the extraordinary journey from the heart of the Himalayas to the pristine shores of Palau more accessible and enjoyable than ever before".

According to the Palau government's website, the country's economy is largely based on tourism, and is "home to some of the best diving spots in the world".

It is known for its clear waters, coral reefs and forests, and offers tourists a variety of outdoor activities such as snorkelling, diving, hiking and wildlife encounters.

"The Palauan people are known for their hospitality, as well as their vibrant culture and art," notes the website. "Palauan culture is still heavily influenced by traditional beliefs, and is expressed in the traditional music, dance and crafts of the country."

Palau is also home to the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it is a Unesco World Heritage Site containing 52 marine lakes, characterised by coral reefs and a diversity of other marine habitats, as well as 445 coralline limestone islands shaped over time by weather, wind and vegetation.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.