Singapore Airlines intends to operate double daily flights to India once the open sky policy is in place even as it has decided to introduce three additional day-time flights to Mumbai from October 26.

SIA also plans an extra service to Delhi (on Fridays) and upgrade its Boeing 777 Chennai service to Boeing 747-400 during the temporary open sky policy in the winter.

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Besides, its subsidiary Silk Air will operate from Singapore four charter flights to Jaipur and three to Gaya during the winter.

Welcoming the announcement by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of an open sky policy for ASEAN airlines at Bangkok recently, SIA general manager (India) B K Ong said, "If all ground rules are in place, we intend to operate double daily flights out of India, which has become an important business centre and tourist destination".

Asked if the open sky policy would spell the death knell for Air-India and Indian Airlines, Ong replied in the negative and said, "There was need for the two airlines to work and improve their product".

He said Singapore had a liberal open sky policy with Sri Lanka, Australia and the US and "we hope to have one with India also".

Ong said India would continue to grow in importance as a destination as it was able to cater to the needs of different travel market segments.

Ong said as India liberalises its aviation policies, more airlines would be encouraged to operate to and out of India.

Presently, SIA operates 26 flights a week from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai and Silk Air 11 flights out of Thirvunathapuram, Cochin and Hyderabad.

SIA's three flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays out of Mumbai takes the total number of flights to 10 a week.

It is also offering a special inaugural fare to Singapore on these flights till November 15 and till December 15, 2003 for outbound travel, he said.