Singapore Airlines History: Malayan Airways to the A380 – Airline Employee Shop

Singapore Airlines History

Singapore Airlines grew out of a small 1940s Malayan airline into a global name built on long-haul flying and the famous Singapore Girl. Here's a short history of Singapore Airlines, plus the Singapore Airlines collection that celebrates it.

Malayan roots (1937-1971)

Malayan Airways was incorporated on 21 October 1937 but did not begin regular service until after the war. Weekly flights started on 1 May 1947 with twin-engined Airspeed Consul aircraft, linking Singapore with Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang. The airline became Malaysian Airways in 1963, when the Federation of Malaysia was formed, and Malaysia-Singapore Airlines in 1966 after Singapore left the federation.

A new airline (1972-1980)

Singapore and Malaysia decided to run separate national airlines. Singapore Airlines flew its first service, SQ 108 to Kuala Lumpur, on 1 October 1972. Its first two Boeing 747s arrived in 1973. From December 1977 SIA shared a Concorde service with British Airways. Noise complaints stopped it after four days. It resumed in January 1979 and ended for good on 1 November 1980.

Changi and record flights (1981-2006)

In 1981 SIA moved to the new Changi Airport. The first commercial flight there, SQ140 from London, carried 140 passengers. The airline joined Star Alliance in April 2000. In 2004 it began nonstop Airbus A340-500 flights to Newark and Los Angeles.

The A380 and beyond (2007-today)

Singapore Airlines was the launch customer for the Airbus A380. On 25 October 2007 it flew the first commercial A380 service, SQ380 from Singapore to Sydney, with 455 passengers. It was also the first operator of the A350-900ULR, which brought back nonstop Newark flights in 2018. Its New York JFK route, launched in 2020, is one of the longest scheduled flights in the world.

A few things collectors love

  • The sarong kebaya uniform worn by the Singapore Girl was designed by French couturier Pierre Balmain and first introduced in 1968.
  • The golden bird logo on a deep midnight-blue tail was created by Landor Associates in 1972.
  • Several SIA A380s were turned into a pop-up "Restaurant A380" on the ground in October 2020.

Shop Singapore Airlines

Browse Singapore Airlines logo T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, tote bags and vintage designs in the Singapore Airlines collection. Add an airline bag tag or key tag for a gift any Singapore Airlines fan will enjoy.

AirlineEmployeeShop.com is an independent retailer of airline memorabilia. This page is for historical interest and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Singapore Airlines.