SQ PE - Now officially launched

[SQ228]

The repairs/fixes are still ongoing?? The cracks were discovered in 2011 in the QF A380 that suffered an engine explosion in Singapore. EASA issued an AD to check for the cracks in early 2012 with cracks discovered in almost all early build A380s.

http://theconversation.com/the-airbu...rspective-5318

This was my thought too. No wonder nobody wants these early A380s. SKA definitely had long periods of time out around the 6-year mark, then it had more time out when it was having PEY installed, then it had a further 2 months out late last year. That's a lot of time to have such a big plane out of action.

SKB has just had 2 months out, SKC still not in the air after almost as long and SKD is now out since SKB returned. There were promises of new PEY routes beginning around June/July which won't happen unless they can get more installations done across SKM/SKP-T as they serve the routes announced, e.g. FRA/JFK. Possibly when SKC returns to service it will provide the slack needed to pull one or two of those craft out.

It is common now for SQ to have two A380s out of action during low seasons. Lessors may end up having to offer rates that allow airlines to only put them into operation during peak seasons.

[leops1984]

There was a report on a German-language site that Doric is now reserving hangar time to get the five early A380s repainted, as well as looking into seat availability.

Basically confirms that SQ will return their oldest A380s when their leases expire.

[SQfanatic]

This was my thought too. No wonder nobody wants these early A380s. SKA definitely had long periods of time out around the 6-year mark, then it had more time out when it was having PEY installed, then it had a further 2 months out late last year. That's a lot of time to have such a big plane out of action.

SKB has just had 2 months out, SKC still not in the air after almost as long and SKD is now out since SKB returned. There were promises of new PEY routes beginning around June/July which won't happen unless they can get more installations done across SKM/SKP-T as they serve the routes announced, e.g. FRA/JFK. Possibly when SKC returns to service it will provide the slack needed to pull one or two of those craft out.

It is common now for SQ to have two A380s out of action during low seasons. Lessors may end up having to offer rates that allow airlines to only put them into operation during peak seasons.

I don't know about how common that is but all I know is that sometimes BOM and DEL get 773/77W at many times (BOM tends to get 77WN often during low season). Besides some said the fact the A380s got sent to BOM and DEL tied up the entire A380 network

[vasqflyer]

There was a report on a German-language site that Doric is now reserving hangar time to get the five early A380s repainted, as well as looking into seat availability.

Basically confirms that SQ will return their oldest A380s when their leases expire.

Yep and here is the version from Bloomberg - http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...lure-new-users

[vasqflyer]

I don't know about how common that is but all I know is that sometimes BOM and DEL get 773/77W at many times (BOM tends to get 77WN often during low season). Besides some said the fact the A380s got sent to BOM and DEL tied up the entire A380 network

The swap might also be due to bilateral rights. SQ use the rights very extensively so there is very little left to Singapore carriers. I vaguely remember reading that the A380 used up to much if run all year so needed to be swapped so that the total amount over a year was within the limits.

[Bitterroot]

PEY to South Africa set back again. Now Mon, Thu, Sat from 16 July; daily from 3 August.

Maybe.

[SQ228]

PEY to South Africa set back again. Now Mon, Thu, Sat from 16 July; daily from 3 August.

Maybe.

They don't seem to be able to spare the craft to refit, seemingly due to other more pressing maintenance issues. Their plan seems to be waiting until they have more A359s before commencing more refits.

[SQfanatic]

They don't seem to be able to spare the craft to refit, seemingly due to other more pressing maintenance issues. Their plan seems to be waiting until they have more A359s before commencing more refits.

It sounds like the routes they targeted for PEY have enough frames to go around. Would it be possible that the future calls the 77W refits to all be 77WR (9V-SWA-T)? If so they need to eventually think which routes are suited for PEY and which routes can be refitted with the newest product albeit removing 4 F like the 77WR to make it 77WT.

DXB has gotten changes to non PEY the most, with the second very rarely being HKG. Seems like they don't want to sacrifice their PEY or make switches on the long haul routes. Also, I'm not sure if any of you have been paying attention to fr24 but Mondays, SQ182/181 have gotten 77WR service to BWN (Brunei/Bandar Seri Begawan), last Monday serviced by 9V-SNC and 9V-SWO which both came from LHR as SQ305 and parked at T2. It made an infill morning trip and returned back to T2 to perform 494/495 to DXB. Also, the past few Fridays (I think 2) one of the morning CGK (Jakarta) routes got 77WR too, once off SQ15 and another case off SQ494, by 9V-SWM (From DXB) one day, 9V-SWJ (From SFO/ICN) the other day then returned back to T2 to perform 494/495.

Wish my birthday gift today would have been flying SQ's newest cabin, but probably will be this December/January.

[SQfanatic]

PEY to South Africa set back again. Now Mon, Thu, Sat from 16 July; daily from 3 August.

Maybe.

See the A350 thread, now plan is changed to A350.

Now we will still wonder when they will continue with the 77W refits?

[alian]

77W refits, hmmmm, now that they have so many A350s on order and that the A350 is more fuel efficient and probably less cost to run I do believe they may scale back on the refits.

I've flown in J 777W, J 777WN, J & F 777WR and J on A350 and I still prefer the 777W (all versions) compared to the A350. Think there is too much hype on A350. In Y I think A350 is a better product, especially since the cabin pressure is much better but in J the experience is actually not as good. The space is smaller, the compartments is smaller, the toilets are smaller (note the toilet in the front J has no amenities (no compartments for the amenities) based on my last A350 flight) so the J experience to me a loss on A350 compare to the 777W(s). Technology and cabin pressure aside

My 5 cents

[SQfanatic]

Talked with my parents about my vacation plans. Due to me taking Summer classes for my major in my university, my dad seriously was thinking of August because my mom's school will be in Summer leave from June to second to last week of August. However my break after Summer classes are too tight, just 1.5 weeks, not enough to do much, therefore my mom was against it and decided to wait til December/January. My plan was to fly SQ1/2 and of course go to TRV and come back from MAA (or the other way around). However, it looks like for sure I will go in December during Christmas/New Years. I will likely confine myself to flying to India flying SQ1 and come back on SQ2 after landing to SIN from MAA

The plan is for my mom to maybe leave 1 week earlier and me and my dad to go later (SQ1 and up to TRV for us all), and all 3 of us coming back from MAA (Either on MI or take a full day in Singapore then fly SQ2 back).

As much as I wouldn't mind going via HKG, at least there are some good and some bad. Good: New seats, duh. Touchscreen, Time based T-Mobile Wifi, regular best hospitality and food by SQ standards. HKG-SFO can take up to 10.5-11 hrs depending on tailwind stength. The bad: No 3D maps like you would get on the 77WR, it looks a lot better according to videos on the A359 and 77WR. SFO-HKG in December can take up to 16 hrs sometimes because of strong headwinds. SQ2 reaches SFO in the evening but not an issue as long as my mom has at least 3 days to rest before heading back to work. (Plan is coming back on a Friday night). I was hoping to do both SQ15/16 but I guess it no longer matters because either way I will get the new seats.

[SQfanatic]

Some interesting observations to note this week:

SQ326/325 has had a regular 77W or 77WN serve instead of the 77WR the first two days of June. SQ494/495 in turn has not been affected and has had regular 77WR service as usual.

There has been 4 out of the 7 days so far that SQ318/319 has gotten swapped to the older 77W. Quite strange because most of the time 318/319 gets 77WN.

This likely prompts SWO is in maintenance but usually they would swap out the DXB route the most to older 77W. And in one day this week two ad hoc substitutions took place to 77WN: One case MNL (910/917 with SWZ and 828/831 with SNA). It sounds like they need to get cracking on the 77W refits again else more swaps to older equipment could happen on longer routes like FRA again which I was quite surprised after it's been daily 77WR since December.

[SQfanatic]

Sorry for the triple post, but the past few days have been very very interesting to see more swaps on different routes to 77WR. Just yesterday 828/831 got a 77WR (9V-SWL) from SFO/ICN (SQ15) and PEK (806/801) got a 77WR in another instance 9V-SWK (Another point IIRC 9V-SNB operated this route too).

Also, MXP (368/367) also got a 77WR instead of a 77W or 77WN. It got 9V-SNB off SQ15 from SFO/ICN. I see the swaps being more interesting as peak season starts coming, but also seeing how good it is that SQ is spreading PEY across a number of routes that haven't had a taste of it yet. Maybe this is before more A359 aircraft come they can test 77WR across their network to see its popularity then maybe consider refitting more 77W if demand warrants to do so or eventually putting some A359 aircraft soon on those routes eventually.

[Metropolitan Airlines]

May I ask what is the current status of converting B77W into B77WR? Looks like SQ has stopped converting these days as this thread goes quiet? What are their plans to make routes such as MEL, SYD (SQ211/212) fitted with Premium Economy?

[SQ228]

May I ask what is the current status of converting B77W into B77WR? Looks like SQ has stopped converting these days as this thread goes quiet? What are their plans to make routes such as MEL, SYD (SQ211/212) fitted with Premium Economy?

We currently don't know. The whole fleet is in a huge state of change and rumours are circling everywhere. I think we would all do well to just sit back and see what happens over the next month or so.