Wall Street Journal said Singapore Airlines and its regional rivals such as Cathay Pacific have seen their ability to charge more for their premium services erode in recent years.
The local airline is facing stiff competition from Middle East-based carriers such as Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways.
This is the case on it’s prized European and U.S. routes, while highly aggressive discount carriers have taken away leisure travellers on shorter routes within Asia.
But these are not the only challenges faced by the airline.
Singapore Airlines said the recent fuel prices volatility poses another challenge. The airline’s fuel bill rose 9.2% on year to S$1.02 billion in the December quarter.
Fuel prices are rising and are expected to remain volatile, Singapore Airlines said, adding that it has hedged 41% of its jet-fuel requirements at a weighted average price of US$65 a barrel in the current quarter, said WSJ.