SIA leases another 15 Airbus planes for Asia, Mideast routes

[alberttky 0]

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it will lease another 15 A330-300 aircraft from European plane maker Airbus, providing additional growth opportunities to the airline.

 

Under the terms of the agreement, the aircraft will be delivered new from Airbus' production line between 2013 and 2015.

 

They will be operated by SIA on routes within Asia as well as to points in Australia and the Middle East.

 

The planes will be leased for a minimum of six years, with an option to extend the lease term, and will join 19 similar aircraft already in service.

 

SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said the planes will add more capacity on regional and medium range routes, and further strengthen SIA's network offering.

 

Goh added that the new planes will also provide enhanced levels of comfort to SIA customers and boost operational efficiency.

 

The new aircraft will be configured in a two-class layout, offering Business and Economy class.

 

The Business Class cabin features a new seat specially designed for regional and medium-range routes, in a 2-2-2 configuration, with seats that convert into an incline lie-flat bed.

 

Meanwhile, the Economy Class cabin is laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration, featuring a new-generation seat which is also available on the Airline's Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft.

 

SIA said the seats are ergonomically designed to provide customers an unsurpassed level of comfort, with more personal space and increased leg room.

 

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1137891/1/.html

[BC Tam 2]

For an aircraft that was originally meant as a stop gap measure to mitigate capacity shortfall due to the dugong's service entry delay, it has done very well in SQ service it has to be said

[Johan Z 0]

Wow, for an airline which never operated the original A330 into soon-to-be world's largest A330 operator.

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

For an aircraft that was originally meant as a stop gap measure to mitigate capacity shortfall due to the dugong's service entry delay

I think SQ's A333s are a stop gap measure due to the delay of their B787 and A350, not the A380.

 

Anyway, this news should come out from MH (considering its oneworld election and the still no decision on the replacement of the 17 B772s), not SQ which is already experiencing overcapacity in recent years. Based on MD/CEO Tengku Azmil's Tweet,

 

@edush88 B777 not going to be replaced in d near future. Lots of deliveries coming in already in d next few years

26 Jun

MH is sticking around with its old aircraft cycle once again.

[Isaac 0]

333E is a very capable plane on both short and long-haul flights and CX has publicly said about it many times. Sad thing is that this also means more and more 772 will be leaving the SQ fleet very soon

[JuliusWong 0]

333E is a very capable plane on both short and long-haul flights and CX has publicly said about it many times. Sad thing is that this also means more and more 772 will be leaving the SQ fleet very soon

No worries, some B772s are rumoured to be going over new low cost long haul. BI's leased B772s are returning as well. Still got plenty more..

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

I love the SQ330's .

I usually purposely plan my flights to do all my sectors on the SQ330s.

Seat is great , entertainment is great ( albeit slightly laggy )

My biggest complaint is , it is very very very warm.

They do not provide the directional blowers that each passenger can adjust on their own

Meanwhile , while I've never tried the MAS one , I believe they have it.

[filipeseda 0]

@edush88 B777 not going to be replaced in d near future. Lots of deliveries coming in already in d next few years

26 Jun

 

 

Shouldn't they at least be refurbished. How is MH going to improve its network as an OW member then, unless they want to be like Malev, a regional player????

[Josh T 0]

Those B772s need to be refurbished to the same standard as what's coming on the A380, if they wanna keep using them for those long-haul operations.

[JuliusWong 0]

I love the SQ330's .

I usually purposely plan my flights to do all my sectors on the SQ330s.

Seat is great , entertainment is great ( albeit slightly laggy )

My biggest complaint is , it is very very very warm.

They do not provide the directional blowers that each passenger can adjust on their own

Meanwhile , while I've never tried the MAS one , I believe they have it.

 

Agree. Took twice. The carpet, the spacious seat pitch, the seats, the colours, the toilets....'nuf said!

[Pieter C. 5]

they want to be like Malev, a regional player????

 

1st the Russians came to their rescue (with little development and still no longhaul routes), and now it seems China (Hainan Group) is interested in Malev...too bad, they're still a small player in Eastern-Europe, for their service is quite good; wonder, why they're left alone by OW ! (who was their 'introducer' into OW btw: BA ?)

[flee 5]

I think SQ's A333s are a stop gap measure due to the delay of their B787 and A350, not the A380.

Yes, the 19 A333s were originally tied to the B787 delays. However, some may have confused them with the A380 delay because SQ did not take any cash compensation from Airbus for the A380 delays but opted to have them in aircraft instead. Shrewd management from SQ as they get more value from having aircraft than cash.

 

Now that there is a prospect that the A350 will be delayed, SQ has decided to hedge a little more with these new orders. They will slot in nicely should the expected A350 deliveries fail to materialise. Once the B787/A350 delivery dates are firmed up, any surplus aircraft can then be handed to their LCC subsidiary.

 

Yes, SQ has always been more organised and methodical than MH when it comes to fleet planning and management. No surprises here.

[filipeseda 0]

1st the Russians came to their rescue (with little development and still no longhaul routes), and now it seems China (Hainan Group) is interested in Malev...too bad, they're still a small player in Eastern-Europe, for their service is quite good; wonder, why they're left alone by OW ! (who was their 'introducer' into OW btw: BA ?)

 

 

They provide the OW network with a strong E. European network and I suppose you can point to Aegean, Spanair etc. in Star Alliance as sort've of the same concept and reason for why these mamoth alliances allow small players in to simply boost their network as much as possible. But really, I mean if MH does not refurbish its B777 or replace these within the near future, I don't see MH bringing much to the OW table, apart from opening up more destinations within the region, just like Malev, more destinations in E. Europe, that's it. Yes it has the A380, but they're only operating on a handful of routes and there'll be this huge service inconsistency. MH has so much potential to develop its Kangaroo route operations because of QF, and yet it isn't bitting into it. Who on earth decided to purchase 10 more B738s? Seriously, USELESS! Why doesn't MH have any ambitions?

 

I know this is an SQ thread, sorry. But yup, great news for SQ frequent flyers, no more ageing B772

 

Carpe Diem MH! Latin for Cease the day!!!!

[suadrif 0]

Hmm SQ really great at planning aircraft expansion and interim solution. MH on the other hand like to boast they will have the youngest fleet but in reality... Come on MH, order new aircraft for B777 replacement...

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

Yes, SQ has always been more organised and methodical than MH when it comes to fleet planning and management. No surprises here.

 

and decisive !