The SQ773

[wdranne]

It's clear the A350 joined the fleet as a cost cutting machine from the onset. The doorway to 1L is bare and grey unlike the 77W's plush faux-painting and wood paneling entryway, no magazine racks, single galley for entire Y/PEY and barely any space (even for J pax) to walk and stretch.

To me at least, the overall ambience and cabin impression is far more important than what content is available in a screen. The A380 is excellent - wide, quiet, spacious and calm, welcoming tones all over. No need for 2013 Y or whatever. So what if the IFE is top notch? I barely touch the screen apart from the moving map display. It's truly disappointing. But I can't say I speak for everyone else who need their tech-fix. And ultimately, $$ savings rules the world.

The scariest thing is...the number they have on order. Which means that it is the future of SQ...unless you take your business elsewhere. Hopefully the 777-9s don't follow suit.

[loldude333]

For Y, at least in terms of seat widths, unless SQ somehow sticks to 9-abreast, we are going to see narrower seats (18+inches currently to 17+inches). Not sure if seat pitch will suffer. But the premium classes, if the current 4-abreast configurations remain, then they will actually feel more spacious. Of course......if SQ decides to decrease pitch/increase number of seats per row for J, space per seat will decrease......perhaps only the Apex Suites will still remain fairly spacious and comfortable in a 2-2-2 configuration.

[jaywell]

In my opinion, the A350 is one of the most comfortable planes in the SQ fleet. Coming from an A380, I can imagine how the A350 might feel a little cramped, as nothing can match the A380 when it comes to passenger comfort. But if you often do back-to-back flights on a 777, you can appreciate the quietness and spaciousness of the A350.

[Short Final]

In my opinion, the A350 is one of the most comfortable planes in the SQ fleet. Coming from an A380, I can imagine how the A350 might feel a little cramped, as nothing can match the A380 when it comes to passenger comfort. But if you often do back-to-back flights on a 777, you can appreciate the quietness and spaciousness of the A350.

I fly the A350 and the 773 almost every week and I prefer the 773 on almost every parameter. The cabin has a wider, much more spacious feel than the A350, especially in biz.

Quietness is a quality factor that I would say is inverse to comfort. Just as the A380 was much "quieter", to me, ironically, the quieter cabin means less comfort because it means less white noise, thus the cabin actually feels "noisier". I will look forward to the 787-10 and the 777-9X.

I have noticed, however, the A350 seems to have a very impressive climb performance, so you end up reaching cruising altitude faster, most of the time... for whatever that's worth.

[wdranne]

I fly the A350 and the 773 almost every week and I prefer the 773 on almost every parameter. The cabin has a wider, much more spacious feel than the A350, especially in biz.

Quietness is a quality factor that I would say is inverse to comfort. Just as the A380 was much "quieter", to me, ironically, the quieter cabin means less comfort because it means less white noise, thus the cabin actually feels "noisier". I will look forward to the 787-10 and the 777-9X.

I have noticed, however, the A350 seems to have a very impressive climb performance, so you end up reaching cruising altitude faster, most of the time... for whatever that's worth.

I agree

But after all, to each our own preference, we naturally place more emphasis on different aspects.

For me, I prize the feeling of spaciousness and tracts of open spaces that I can stretch my legs and hang around. Like at the back of the A380 if I'm in Y or the stairwell area in J/Suites. There is close to none on the SQ A350s and I avoid them whenever and as far as possible.

[yflyer]

To me at least, the overall ambience and cabin impression is far more important than what content is available in a screen. The A380 is excellent - wide, quiet, spacious and calm, welcoming tones all over.

Yes, agree that overall cabin ambience makes a lot of difference. I find the ambience on most A380's (SQ, LH, EK, BA, QF...) to be great (With the exception of AF's A380 Y cabin, which is quite oppressive). Ditto 9-abreast 777's and 8-abreast A330's. I find the A350 cabin to be fine, but not noticeably superior to any of the previous examples.

It's clear the A350 joined the fleet as a cost cutting machine from the onset. The doorway to 1L is bare and grey unlike the 77W's plush faux-painting and wood paneling entryway,

The QR A350 has quite a lot of bling in the J cabin, compared to what SQ, AY or CX have done, which is a lot more functional.

I barely touch the screen apart from the moving map display.

I fly the A350 and the 773 almost every week and I prefer the 773 on almost every parameter. The cabin has a wider, much more spacious feel than the A350, especially in biz.

Yes, once the novelty and newness of the A350 wears off, my first choice of ride on Y on SQ should still be the 77WR/77WN. The A350 in Y is good, but then so are SQ's A380 Y, 77W Y and A330 Y.

Like at the back of the A380 if I'm in Y

The back of the main deck is also my favourite Y space on the A380 if the flight is not full. On a full SQ A380 I am partial towards the 2 pairs of middle seats in the rear of the A380 upper deck.

I look at those A350 armrests and shake my head. They look like a handle on a cheap garden rake.

I also miss the big, chunky armrests that the previous generation of Y seats had. Of the newer generation of Y seats, BA still has fairly large armrests on their 77W and A380 Y seats. They don't raise up all the way, but they are more substantial and solidly built than what you see on newer aircraft.

[Tonitan]

I agree

But after all, to each our own preference, we naturally place more emphasis on different aspects.

For me, I prize the feeling of spaciousness and tracts of open spaces that I can stretch my legs and hang around. Like at the back of the A380 if I'm in Y or the stairwell area in J/Suites. There is close to none on the SQ A350s and I avoid them whenever and as far as possible.

I can fully understand your appreciation of free space and cabin spaciousness which combines together to create a very comfortable cabin ambience which is sorely lacking on the A350. Similar to your thoughts,its scary to know there are so many of the A350 coming our way. And to add,I actually find the A350 to be a rather loud aircraft which again is contrary to what some members say about it's "quietness". And I can totally understand why some of us will avoid the A350 if possible!

[wdranne]

If there is actually a pressing need to cut costs, I'd say the first to go should be the SQ/SR series regional J. Not sure what went into the thought process behind the retrofitting of them, but they sure take up hell lot of precious real estate for just 26J seats. The first row of the second mini-J cabin has close to 4 windows just for 1 person. That's probably the same amount of pitch as in Suites. And it's not that it's consistent throughout the whole aircraft, like on some other carriers like the ex-MH 777 J or even Egypt Air 77W with miles of legroom for every J seat. It's just...a mess.

It really seems to me that there's terribly lots of incoherence in decision making and it's just sad to see the brand I've grown to love and grew up with in the glorious days slowly go down this path... As a senior crew member I spoke to earlier last week put it, "I'm not sure how long SQ will last".

As much armchair talk this is, I have to admit that if you'd put me in charge and ask me to solve this...the only thing I can say is 'I don't know where to start'.

[pokfur]

If there is actually a pressing need to cut costs, I'd say the first to go should be the SQ/SR series regional J. Not sure what went into the thought process behind the retrofitting of them, but they sure take up hell lot of precious real estate for just 26J seats. The first row of the second mini-J cabin has close to 4 windows just for 1 person. That's probably the same amount of pitch as in Suites.

Just a slight correction that those SQ/SR aircraft have 38J seats. It's the SV series with long-haul J that have just 26 seats but those are all between Door 1 and 2.

Agree that they should have thought about moving the galleys/toilets around when retrofitting the SQ/SR series to make better use of space, just like how on the 773, there is a lot of dead space in the F cabin. However from a passenger point of view the 772 J cabin is very comfortable, as compared to the A330 where the pitch is significantly less.

Ironically in order to cut costs, SQ is already in the process of letting go A330s which are on lease in favour of these fully-depreciated 772s. The least they could do is get on with refurbishing them with the 2006 Y seats and IFE coming off the 77Ws!!

[iancasillas]

If there is actually a pressing need to cut costs, I'd say the first to go should be the SQ/SR series regional J. Not sure what went into the thought process behind the retrofitting of them, but they sure take up hell lot of precious real estate for just 26J seats. The first row of the second mini-J cabin has close to 4 windows just for 1 person. That's probably the same amount of pitch as in Suites. And it's not that it's consistent throughout the whole aircraft, like on some other carriers like the ex-MH 777 J or even Egypt Air 77W with miles of legroom for every J seat. It's just...a mess.

It really seems to me that there's terribly lots of incoherence in decision making and it's just sad to see the brand I've grown to love and grew up with in the glorious days slowly go down this path... As a senior crew member I spoke to earlier last week put it, "I'm not sure how long SQ will last".

As much armchair talk this is, I have to admit that if you'd put me in charge and ask me to solve this...the only thing I can say is 'I don't know where to start'.

"I'm not sure how long SQ will last". Unfortunately, SQ will and can almost guarantee to last forever as long as Singapore is around. My goodness sake, it is the flag carrier of Singapore and most importantly, it is a GLC (Government-Linked Corporation - Majority owned by Temasek Holdings). A GLC simply does not fold in Singapore, unless willing sold off by the government. See Sembcorp, SMRT, Comfortdelgro, CapitaLand etc.

[SQ228]

For me, I prize the feeling of spaciousness and tracts of open spaces that I can stretch my legs and hang around. Like at the back of the A380 if I'm in Y or the stairwell area in J/Suites. There is close to none on the SQ A350s and I avoid them whenever and as far as possible.

Interesting that you say this.

Today I was on my first ever flight to the US.

At the commencement of the flight, we were all informed that on flights bound for the US, as per US safety authority regulations, congregating, meeting up or occupying the space around stairways or galleys is prohibited.

On another note, should we request to have this thread renamed? I don't think it's really focused on the B773 any more.

[loldude333]

"I'm not sure how long SQ will last". Unfortunately, SQ will and can almost guarantee to last forever as long as Singapore is around. My goodness sake, it is the flag carrier of Singapore and most importantly, it is a GLC (Government-Linked Corporation - Majority owned by Temasek Holdings). A GLC simply does not fold in Singapore, unless willing sold off by the government. See Sembcorp, SMRT, Comfortdelgro, CapitaLand etc.

Perhaps this cabin crew member didn't mean the folding of the company......but the company becoming something run-of-the-mill or worse, substandard.

[wdranne]

Just a slight correction that those SQ/SR aircraft have 38J seats. It's the SV series with long-haul J that have just 26 seats but those are all between Door 1 and 2.
:

Apologies, my oversight there! Thanks for the correction.

Originally Posted by iancasillas
"I'm not sure how long SQ will last". Unfortunately, SQ will and can almost guarantee to last forever as long as Singapore is around. My goodness sake, it is the flag carrier of Singapore and most importantly, it is a GLC (Government-Linked Corporation - Majority owned by Temasek Holdings). A GLC simply does not fold in Singapore, unless willing sold off by the government. See Sembcorp, SMRT, Comfortdelgro, CapitaLand etc.

Originally Posted by loldude333
Perhaps this cabin crew member didn't mean the folding of the company......but the company becoming something run-of-the-mill or worse, substandard.

Yes, it's more of like how long more the SQ we have grown to love and pride ourselves on over the many years will last. A company can last forever, it's after all just an independent legal personality that anyone can establish. Rather, it's the soul and ethos that we resonate with that keep people coming back. Once it's gone, it just isn't the same anymore. Or it could be that we're just too sentimental.

Originally Posted by SQ228
Interesting that you say this.

Today I was on my first ever flight to the US.

At the commencement of the flight, we were all informed that on flights bound for the US, as per US safety authority regulations, congregating, meeting up or occupying the space around stairways or galleys is prohibited.

On another note, should we request to have this thread renamed? I don't think it's really focused on the B773 any more.

Yes, I do realise that is the case as per FAA regulations for all US flights. And I never really meant that I needed space to hang out for extended periods of time. Rather, just appreciative of open spaces in general, perhaps my expression was flawed. I do apologise!

Lastly, my apologies, I realise this has gone off track, thanks for the reminder. Let's just keep this as an SQ 773 thread.

[CarbonMan]

At the commencement of the flight, we were all informed that on flights bound for the US, as per US safety authority regulations, congregating, meeting up or occupying the space around stairways or galleys is prohibited.

This requirement has been in place for ages, even during the time of the SIN-EWR/LAX direct flights. It was a ridiculous requirement for an 18-hour flight. Enforcement was pragmatic.

[fablee]

The SQ 773

From what I have learnt here,

9V-SYH, 9V-SYI and 9V-SYF have been retrofitted with the 2016 (should be 2006) Y seats.

9V-SYJ and 9V-SYL have Not been retrofitted with the 2016 (should be 2006) Y seats.

Is my understanding correct? If so, would you happen to have any idea when
9V-SYJ and 9V-SYL would be retrofitted with the 2016 Y seats?

Thank you.