Scoot (TR, Singapore Changi) is considering exploiting 5th Freedom traffic rights, as specified under the Singapore-India air services agreement, to start flights between India and Europe.
Under the terms of the India-Singapore air services agreement updated in 2013, Singaporean carriers can offer onward passenger services for flights originating in Singapore to each of Cairo International, Malta International, Zurich, Paris, Manchester International and to any one of Amsterdam Schiphol, Copenhagen Kastrup, Brussels National, Vienna, and Athens, that transit any one of Mumbai International, Chennai, Kolkata, and Delhi International. However, London, the United States, and the Gulf/Middle East are explicitly excluded from the list.
As such, the Singaporean budget carrier's Indian country head Bharath Mahadevan, told the Times of India that were Scoot to offer such flights, it would drive down prices below the minimum currently available of INR45,000 (USD700).
"Since we have fifth freedom, we can operate direct flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata to destinations like Copenhagen, Vienna, Cairo, and Manchester," he said. "A return trip to Europe would cost around INR26,000 (USD405.50)."
At present, Scoot's European services hinge on Athens exclusively which it serves direct from Singapore with a 4x weekly B787-8. The LCC's Indian services focus primarily on Tier II cities such as Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad International, Jaipur, Kochi International, Lucknow, and Tiruchirapally with full-service sister carrier Singapore Airlines (SQ, Singapore Changi) serving Ahmedabad, Bengaluru International, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai International.
