Singaopre angst

I wonder why there has been so much angst in Australia over Singapore Airlines not being allowed to fly the Australia-US route.
You will note that there has not been any expression of sympathy or support for Singapore Airlines from other ASEAN airlines or governments. Why? Because there is a general perception that Singapore, and Singapore Airlines, looks out only for its own benefits.
The Singapore stance has everything to do with maintaining its Changi airport as the major regional air hub in the face of competition from airports in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Singapore also has no qualms about using Singapore Airlines to further its quest to remain the major regional air hub. Thus its push for open skies agreements, not only with its ASEAN neighbours, but also with other key countries such as Australia, the US, China, India and countries in the EU.
But Singapore is a city-state with only one international airport – Changi. Whereas countries such as India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia have more than one international airport. Malaysia, for example, has five international airports, with the key one being Kuala Lumpur international airport
It baffles me how airlines such as Qantas and British Airways choose to hub so many of their flights at Singapore’s Changi airport while totally ignoring, for example, Malaysia’s KLIA. They are either guilty of taking the Malaysian market for granted or are relying on the continued goodwill of the Malaysian Government – either of which could prove to be extremely short-sighted in the medium- and long-term future.
It’s not surprising, therefore, that there is little or no ASEAN solidarity where Singapore Airlines is concerned. The sooner Qantas and the Australian Government realises this, the better.