A350 Deliveries and Routes

[SQfanatic]

Yes the "LH+" aircraft (SMV-SMZ and SJA-SJE) can, with 8,100nm of range (full payload).

Typical flight times on LAX-SIN at the moment are 15:30 to 16:30, which is no issue.

In the winter months with strong headwinds they may not be able to carry much or any cargo (but neither can the ULR from New York in those situations).

LH+ aircraft have 280,000kg maximum takeoff weight (instead of 268t or 275t for the other LH A350s), allowing more fuel to be carried, modified winglets for lower fuel burn and Trent XWB-84 EP (Enhanced Performance) engines, which have a 1% lower fuel burn than the baseline XWB-84.

Too much information I'm sure, but yes expect a full flight!

Not only are those A350’s used for LAX & SFO but also the same with SEA & YVR. Technically speaking SEA & YVR take an hour less than SFO geographically speaking so technically even an A350 (SMA-SMU) could be used too. The only question could be the headwinds on the return I guess which you outlined.

Even the newer A350’s could do a SIN-EWR/JFK nonstop but ofc 18-19 hrs in Y class would be too much.

[MainlyMiles]

Lol, ok interesting.
I still haven’t gotten an answer as to whether the LH 359s can do the 18hour (scheduled) LAX-SIN on a full load.
wondering whether I should be expecting only a half filled aircraft

Yes the "LH+" aircraft (SMV-SMZ and SJA-SJE) can, with 8,100nm of range (full payload).

Typical flight times on LAX-SIN at the moment are 15:30 to 16:30, which is no issue.

In the winter months with strong headwinds they may not be able to carry much or any cargo (but neither can the ULR from New York in those situations).

LH+ aircraft have 280,000kg maximum takeoff weight (instead of 268t or 275t for the other LH A350s), allowing more fuel to be carried, modified winglets for lower fuel burn and Trent XWB-84 EP (Enhanced Performance) engines, which have a 1% lower fuel burn than the baseline XWB-84.

Too much information I'm sure, but yes expect a full flight!

[ell3]

Lol, ok interesting.
I still haven’t gotten an answer as to whether the LH 359s can do the 18hour (scheduled) LAX-SIN on a full load.
wondering whether I should be expecting only a half filled aircraft

[SQfanatic]

SQ34/33 are just temporary using some LH version as SQ is doing maintainance to the ULR. 9V-SGA is out of action since 15/9.

SQ34/33 go back to full ULR from 1/1/23.

I guess that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification. I was initially under the impression that they decided to put the LH on 34/33 permanently since at this time, it’s still not known when the HKG-SFO flights could resume, and thinking it was to account for the fact many folks like myself had our SFO-HKG & HKG-SFO flights switched due to the quarantine complexities in HKG. Meaning in this case, they would add more Y class seats on the existing 34/33 nonstop flight to account for the fact they are increasing US nonstop capacity but the SFO via HKG route is yet to return.

With the latest news, my guess is that could still change but we’ll have to wait & see.

[sbs2716g]

SQ34/33 are just temporary using some LH version as SQ is doing maintainance to the ULR. 9V-SGA is out of action since 15/9.

SQ34/33 go back to full ULR from 1/1/23.

[SQfanatic]

Hmmm don't really understand your question and you "concerns"... I mean, if you're booked to travel on PE or J, then the experience should be the same regardless of whether they are on the A350 ULR or the LH A350's. If you're booked in Y, then that is a different thing altogether, and since Y is only available on standard LH A350s and not on the ULR, one can't really compare it that way per-se.

One think I can comment tho, I've flown on SQ's A350 Y class a couple of times. Our first experience on Y was back in Nov 2019 (just before Covid struck), travelling SIN-ICN on the A350R. The next time we got to travel SQ was recently in Mar and May, on SQ's standard LH A350's AKL-SIN-AKL. Personally, I don't quick like the slimline Y seats (2017 Y?) of the A350R, found it "too thin" and you could almost feel the seatback and not much cushioning. The pitch and width isn't much of a problem. Overall we prefer the "older" Y seats on LH A350s (i.e. 2013 Y?). Now, I believe the Y seats on the newer A350s (SMV onwards) feature the same 2017 Y seats as the A350R. So if you're on one of the newer LH A350s then perhaps that could be an issue - all really depends on personal experience.

Yeah well all SFO, LAX, as well as SEA & YVR nonstop flights use the newer A350’s (SMV-SJE). My dad flew one of those frames also back in December 2019 and it did have the 2017 Y class seats. He did not really enjoy them but on the MAA route on the 787 he found it okay as he was asleep most of the time. But he flew premium economy on the A350 which he found reasonably comfortable in terms of legroom, but the rest was not worth the expense.

I know I am yet to try them but they do remind me of CX’s version which I found to be decent but my parents did not like it so much. Remember it’s not the only route having 2017 Y, even MAA operated by the 787-10 has it, too. I’ll keep posted on how I find the A350 Y seats in December & into January. All I’m saying is sitting for 17-18 hrs is not really going to be fun but we’ll figure it out. It all came after our 77W flights via HKG got canceled. Either way MAA for 4 hours is not a problem I would have had to experience them on some route anyway.

Anyway the only difference between the LH and ULR is just that ULH has J and Premium economy and the LH has Y, Premium economy and J.

I’m wondering when SQ33/34 are going daily LH? Right now it’s 3 weekly ULR, 4 weekly LH.

[wlgspotter]

I have noticed that SQ34/33 (Evening SFO nonstop flight) that typically used the ULH A359 (SGA-SGE) with all Business & Premium economy are also now using the frames SMV-SJE.

But it seems to only operate 4 times a week (Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri). It’s a sure sign that as we move to the Winter schedule, it might go daily. I am anyway booked on SQ33 in December since I could not switch to SQ31 so just wondering how 17-18 hrs nonstop is gonna do. The most I have done is 16 hrs but even thats too much.

Hmmm don't really understand your question and you "concerns"... I mean, if you're booked to travel on PE or J, then the experience should be the same regardless of whether they are on the A350 ULR or the LH A350's. If you're booked in Y, then that is a different thing altogether, and since Y is only available on standard LH A350s and not on the ULR, one can't really compare it that way per-se.

One think I can comment tho, I've flown on SQ's A350 Y class a couple of times. Our first experience on Y was back in Nov 2019 (just before Covid struck), travelling SIN-ICN on the A350R. The next time we got to travel SQ was recently in Mar and May, on SQ's standard LH A350's AKL-SIN-AKL. Personally, I don't quick like the slimline Y seats (2017 Y?) of the A350R, found it "too thin" and you could almost feel the seatback and not much cushioning. The pitch and width isn't much of a problem. Overall we prefer the "older" Y seats on LH A350s (i.e. 2013 Y?). Now, I believe the Y seats on the newer A350s (SMV onwards) feature the same 2017 Y seats as the A350R. So if you're on one of the newer LH A350s then perhaps that could be an issue - all really depends on personal experience.

[SQfanatic]

I have noticed that SQ34/33 (Evening SFO nonstop flight) that typically used the ULH A359 (SGA-SGE) with all Business & Premium economy are also now using the frames SMV-SJE.

But it seems to only operate 4 times a week (Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri). It’s a sure sign that as we move to the Winter schedule, it might go daily. I am anyway booked on SQ33 in December since I could not switch to SQ31 so just wondering how 17-18 hrs nonstop is gonna do. The most I have done is 16 hrs but even thats too much.

[SQfanatic]

My dad is on 9V-SJD flying SQ31, lucky he got a brand new A359.

My dad is on his way back to SFO on SQ32 on premium economy and got SJD once again.

[a340-313x]

Can the non-ULR A350s do LAX-SIN on a regular pax load with the headwinds during Northern Winter?
My SQ35 shows scheduled flight time 17h50m and operated with a non-ULR.

The LAX flights appear to be scheduled with the newer non-ULR A359s on a regular basis (SMV-SJE). These A359s would appear to be built to a higher spec (MTOW and other aerodynamic enhancements) and are more capable than the earlier long-haul series (SMA-SMU).

[ell3]

Can the non-ULR A350s do LAX-SIN on a regular pax load with the headwinds during Northern Winter?
My SQ35 shows scheduled flight time 17h50m and operated with a non-ULR.

[SQfanatic]

9V-SJD has landed at Changi bringing the SQ A350 fleet to 61.

My dad is on 9V-SJD flying SQ31, lucky he got a brand new A359.

[SQfanatic]

As I said the remainder of the A359 deliveries would go up to SJJ. Correct me if I am wrong. That would in the future allow SQ to open up some new nonstop US routes (i.e. Chicago, Philadelphia, maybe Boston or Toronto), but we'll have to wait and see.

[SQKevin]

9V-SJD has landed at Changi bringing the SQ A350 fleet to 61.

[SQKevin]

9V-SJD has taken off on her Delivery Flight as SQ8895. She is scheduled to arrive at Changi at 10.08am (local time) on Sunday morning.