By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) is making its planes shed excess weight.

This is being done a number of ways, from carrying less water and fewer cabin trolleys to using lightweight crockery and thinner paper for in-flight magazines. No cut is too small.

The rationale: A lighter aircraft burns less fuel and saves costs. With jet oil trading at US$139.40 per barrel this week - 62.5 per cent higher than a year ago - every kilogram of unnecessary weight is one too many.

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