Singapore Airlines (SQ, Singapore Changi) will terminate its South American passenger operations with effect from October 20 of this year.

The carrier says its 3x weekly Singapore Changi-São Paulo Guarulhos via Barcelona El Prat service has suffered from poor loads in recent months thereby warranting its closure.

With its economy in recession, a number of international operators have begun to curtail their services to Brazil. This week, Korean Air (KE, Seoul Incheon) and TACV - Cabo Verde Airlines (Praia) announced their own separate intentions to withdraw from the market with more carriers expected to follow suit.

Following Korean Air's and Singapore Airlines' departure from São Paulo, the only remaining Asian carrier to serve South America will be Air China (CA, Beijing Capital) which operates a twice weekly Beijing-Madrid Barajas-São Paulo service.