Premium Air Traffic slumps

[9V-SIA]

In today's Straits Times.

Figures by IATA

For Business class:

8% fall in overall premium air traffic in September 08 compared to 07.

11.6% fall in Asia-US traffic

8.6% fall in Asia-Europe traffic

For Economy class:

4% fall. No breakdown into Asia-US or Asia-Europe.

Of interest to me, A345 non stop flights into LAX & EWR show:

Load factors are over 80% on Thu to Sat. Otherwise, 30% to 40% only.

My conclusions to this data:

LAX and SFO. Don't hold your breath for A380. It's CDG next.

They may stop non stop flights if they made the wrong call on fuel hedges.

[Bitterroot]

Everything you report makes sense to me, and coincides with my observations of trans-pacific loads on my SQ flights (not on either 37 or 38, however) in October........

[SQ forever]

even ZRH with daily 2 x 77W can do with a single 388 as is with 10 weekly 77W to CDG.

[StarG]

Seems like early retirement of 744s is possible if they deploy A380 to stations served with 77W x 2 (CDG/ZRH for example) and they put the 77Ws to 744 routes.

[Lie_flat_seatlover]

Well, I guess we should expect SQ 11/12 to go to 77W for now.....

[MAN Flyer]

Seems like early retirement of 744s is possible

I have that this is looking increasingly likely if things don't improve, and while it's somewhat inevtitable I would be very sad to see it happen.

744's are the greatest aircraft flying today.

[More Champagne Sir?]

Good news... hopefully we'll see more award availability!

[Nick C]

Seems like early retirement of 744s is possible if they deploy A380 to stations served with 77W x 2 (CDG/ZRH for example) and they put the 77Ws to 744 routes.

CDG is more likely with it's 10x frequency.

Someone recently mentioned that the French speaking crew were undergoing conversion to the A388.

[EWR]

In today's Straits Times.

Figures by IATA

For Business class:

8% fall in overall premium air traffic in September 08 compared to 07.

11.6% fall in Asia-US traffic

8.6% fall in Asia-Europe traffic

For Economy class:

4% fall. No breakdown into Asia-US or Asia-Europe.

Of interest to me, A345 non stop flights into LAX & EWR show:

Load factors are over 80% on Thu to Sat. Otherwise, 30% to 40% only.

My conclusions to this data:

LAX and SFO. Don't hold your breath for A380. It's CDG next.

They may stop non stop flights if they made the wrong call on fuel hedges.

Hopefully, SQ learns the lesson of not ditching economy class passengers too quickly. I, for one, and a Y-flyer, would gladly choose the non-stop between the US and Singapore over its competition (including on other airlines), if it were still around. Guess it's better to fill 50%-80% of biz and ++% of Y+ (based on past configuration), and not just 30%-40% of biz.

[flyguy]

as SQ CEO had said that its A345 non stop flights into LAX & EWR shows
Load factors are over 80% on Thu to Sat and other days its 30% to 40% only - only means that SQ is still losing alot of money as 4 out of 7 days it has below 40% load. And have associates who have recently travelled to n from Shanghai and Beijing - its J class have only 4 to 9 persons whilst its EY have at least 70 to 80% load.

[Singapore_Air]

CDG is very unlikely to get the A380 any time soon.

If I recall, SQ will only have 4 or 6 B744s by early 2010.

[SQ LPP]

Just a dot in the data point.
Tonight, SQ 322 SIN-LHR is:

• Full in Y
• Full in C
• 10 of 12 Suites are occupied

Perhaps the OP should have the breakdown for each stations to see a clearer picture? Perhaps the slump in premium traffic to Europe is due to the low yield low traffic stations in Europe?

[flo]

Well, I guess we should expect SQ 11/12 to go to 77W for now.....

product-wise, that would be good news for me ... nostalgia-wise, not at all ...

[SQ LPP]

product-wise, that would be good news for me ... nostalgia-wise, not at all ...

I pray for you, Mr. W! Keep 744 for SQ12 next year until your nostalgic trip is over.

[flo]

i don't think there's an end to this: us Austrians, we apparently are quite sentimental when it comes to our memories.

(paging petz! )