Emirates Ends 28-Year Singapore-Melbourne Fifth Freedom Route

Emirates is set to terminate its EK404/405 service between Melbourne and Singapore, marking the end of a route that has been operational since 1996.

The daily flights, which use Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, were briefly suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in 2023. Emirates has yet to announce a final end date for this service, pending a final assessment from the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS).

Despite this change, emirates airlines will continue to serve Melbourne with its daily flights to Dubai. The airline will maintain its extensive connectivity with Dubai, including four daily flights between Singapore and Dubai, and two daily non-stop flights between Melbourne and Dubai.

Passengers traveling between Singapore and Melbourne will still have options through Emirates’ codeshare partnership with Qantas, which offers twice-daily flights on this route. This arrangement allows Emirates to continue offering seats on Qantas-operated flights, ensuring that travelers have alternative options.

As noted by The Straits Times, Singapore Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Scoot dominate the Melbourne-Singapore route, collectively holding approximately 57% of the market, emirates skywards while Emirates accounts for about 11%.

Emirates has stated that once the termination date is confirmed, it will communicate the changes to affected passengers and provide alternative travel arrangements.