Singapore Airlines Flight Delays & Disruptions

[MainlyMiles]

SIA is now flying through Iran airspace again, since 26/27 June. This is resulting in significant time savings of 30-40 minutes on Europe flights, compared to the northern Uzbekistan / Tajikistan detour that also avoided Afghanistan, and without the Afghan capacity constraints almost all Europe flights are now using this new quicker (Iran) routing.

Flights like SQ322 SIN-LHR are now consistently landing on schedule or early for the first time in ages (arrival delays of 30 mins - 1 hour have been common since late March).

However, SIA is sill avoiding Iraq airspace (unlike BA, Qantas, Swiss, etc.), while others like Thai are still avoiding both Iran and Iraq.

[ell3]

So, the question remains: is SQ putting its passengers at risk by being one of the few main carriers that chooses to fly through?
clearly quite a lot of airlines still choose to avoid that airspace completely.

[SQ228]

SIA is indeed using the L750 airway through Afghanistan again (SQ331 just passed through it), which offers a considerable time saving of around 30 minutes on Europe - Singapore flights, compared to the northern Uzbekistan / Tajikistan detour.

Unfortunately capacity is limited because aircraft are restricted to higher altitudes (FL330+) due to security risks and 15-minute spacing between aircraft at the same altitude is applied, because the airspace is uncontrolled (no ATC - so TIBA procedures apply).

The benefit can therefore only be enjoyed by a few flights each day.

Very interesting information. That would make sense then why only select flights are using it as so many SQ flights cross that area at a similar time each day.

[MainlyMiles]

I noticed some SQ flights are now flying across Afghan airspace again. But, the key word: SOME.

Example - SQ23, SQ332, SQ51, SQ377 are flying through as I write. But SQ317…25…327… etc are still making the detour north.

why would this be so?

SIA is indeed using the L750 airway through Afghanistan again (SQ331 just passed through it), which offers a considerable time saving of around 30 minutes on Europe - Singapore flights, compared to the northern Uzbekistan / Tajikistan detour.

Unfortunately capacity is limited because aircraft are restricted to higher altitudes (FL330+) due to security risks and 15-minute spacing between aircraft at the same altitude is applied, because the airspace is uncontrolled (no ATC - so TIBA procedures apply).

The benefit can therefore only be enjoyed by a few flights each day.

[SQ228]

You’re right, SQ23 did go through it. I can also see a Finnair flight about to as well. Yet most planes in the area are bunched up at the southern tip avoiding Afghan airspace, including PIA and Turkish both making a sizeable deviation on the way to ISB.

[ell3]

I noticed some SQ flights are now flying across Afghan airspace again. But, the key word: SOME.

Example - SQ23, SQ332, SQ51, SQ377 are flying through as I write. But SQ317…25…327… etc are still making the detour north.

why would this be so?

[SQ228]

SQ346 is currently around 5 hours late heading to ZRH. It appears from looking across a few sources that it was rescheduled a few times during the night, leading to a 0645 eventual departure which must have been a fun night spent at Gate B8.

Perhaps a technical failure that went long enough to exceed the crew’s shift limits? They might need to get another 77W out of storage to replace SWM.

[SQ228]

Well it’s interesting that 9V-SGG hasn’t flown since the altered flight via BKK. I’m wondering if it returned empty or with passengers?

9V-SGD seems to be the second ULR getting its overhaul as it hasn’t flown in over a week. I think they can stretch 5 aircraft out across the ULR schedule and still make it work.

[yflyer]

I’ll take a wild guess… could it be something like ridiculously strong headwind prediction, which would push the limits on fuel? Crew change would be needed at the point of refuelling and BKK seems to be a location they like using for that.

I can't find any news or articles about this, but what you have said sounds very plausible! From flightradar24.com (link) the flight landed in BKK, then took off an hour later headed for Singapore, where it landed at 7.29pm local time, about 2 hrs 45 min later than the scheduled SQ21 EWR-SIN arrival time of 4.45pm.

[SQ228]

I’ll take a wild guess… could it be something like ridiculously strong headwind prediction, which would push the limits on fuel? Crew change would be needed at the point of refuelling and BKK seems to be a location they like using for that.

[fablee]

DELETED

[fablee]

Just wondering why what was supposed to be non stop Sq21 to SIN has become SQ9033 to BKK.Screenshot_20240515_222300_Flightradar24.jpg

[boing]

Sq638 swapped to an A350 on the 27th Mar with a 3 hour delay. It continued to an A380 the next day. Was it due to technical or low loads ?

[fablee]

Does anyone know why 9V-SGA is returning as SQ9021 tonight instead of SQ21?

[ell3]

SQ23 / 21June operated by 9V-SGB
left gate 35mins late as crew had to settle loading balances and weight, returned to gate 45mins later after leaving departure queue to offload more baggage and refuel. presumably expected winds stretching the aircraft’s operational range to the limit, therefore the need to lighten the aircraft. Flight time operated was 19h14m (usual average 18h36m).
more than 20 pax arriving at SIN did not have their baggage.

STD 2230hrs
ATD 0054hrs

STA 0520hrs
ATA 0809hrs