SQ B777 withdrawal thread

[jaywell]

SYI is fitted with the 2006 Y and Panasonic eXK IFE.

I didn't know the 777s were going through a second round of refits... Does this explain why 9V-SVG was out for so long? Although it seems unlikely, I certainly hope that SQ is doing some upgrading to the non-300ER 777s.

[SQ228]

SYI is fitted with the 2006 Y and Panasonic eXK IFE.

Very interesting news and explains why SYI was out of action for quite a while. I'm assuming the equipment for this may have been salvaged from 77Ws that have become 77WRs and does actually provide some verification of the rumours going around a while back that this could be a possibility.

The departing A330s probably wouldn't have much that would be compatible (maybe the media server?) but if this were extended to a few more of the 773s it would mean that Y passengers would notice little difference from flying in an older 77W. Makes SQ237/8 a more attractive prospect.

[SQfanatic]

SYI is fitted with the 2006 Y and Panasonic eXK IFE.

Nice, is it the 77W version? Because in pictures the A333 version has the USB/different cord pointed sideways vs. the 77W which I know has just the USB on the right.

This tells me no matter what anyone is speculating, ALL B77W with the old product will be refitted in one way or the other (And that includes SWA-I possibly with PEY too). In either cass it will be at least mid 2017 (May 2017 or so) if all 77W are refitted to the new product because they started with SWJ when they should have started with SWA.

[viraj735]

Yes, it's the 777 version.

[zilchster]

There are some reshuffling going around...

As you know SQ 638 (SIN-NRT) has suffered a downgauge to the retrofitted 777-200 while SQ 636 SIN-HND has received an upgauge to the 77W.

Sometime in the later part of the year SQ 237/238 will be upgraded to the 77W.

Also SQ 241/SQ 242 SIN-SYD which is currently flown by a 777-200ER will be upgauged to the 773.

The midnight departure to Shanghai and morning departure from Shanghai has been upgauged to a 773 from the 772.

[FSJZ]

Wow that was unexpected. Well better to put the old seats to good use rather than discarding them.

Just to confirm, 9V-SYI is now fitted with 2006 F, Regional J and 2006 Y? Will this happen for the remaining 5 773s?

[SQ228]

Wow that was unexpected. Well better to put the old seats to good use rather than discarding them.

Just to confirm, 9V-SYI is now fitted with 2006 F, Regional J and 2006 Y? Will this happen for the remaining 5 773s?

I believe one more of them is leased and will depart the fleet as SYK did at some time this year. I've never heard anyone confirm which exact craft is the one to go, so it's a waiting game.

I wonder if we'll see SYJ and SYL retrofitted, or all the 773s that SQ owns. Those two only entered the fleet in 2005. On the other hand, SYF and SYG are both 14.5 years old- that's a pretty old plane to be retrofitting with entirely new Y seats and IFE, unless you plan to keep it for quite a while longer. The previous refit was pretty much just new seat covers.

[FN-GM]

Wow that was unexpected. Well better to put the old seats to good use rather than discarding them.

Just to confirm, 9V-SYI is now fitted with 2006 F, Regional J and 2006 Y? Will this happen for the remaining 5 773s?

I assume you have been on SYI?

[SQ228]

There are some reshuffling going around...

As you know SQ 638 (SIN-NRT) has suffered a downgauge to the retrofitted 777-200 while SQ 636 SIN-HND has received an upgauge to the 77W.

Sometime in the later part of the year SQ 237/238 will be upgraded to the 77W.

Also SQ 241/SQ 242 SIN-SYD which is currently flown by a 777-200ER will be upgauged to the 773.

The midnight departure to Shanghai and morning departure from Shanghai has been upgauged to a 773 from the 772.

This has all been confirmed by the latest PDF timetable. AMS going 359 is the trigger and from there it's like dominos. A lot of flights are involved- I'll attempt a summary later today when I have some time.

[SQ228]

Ok, here are the rotations that are happening from May 8/9 (source = PDF timetable):

AMS- SQ324/3 B77W becomes A359 daily (frees up 1.5 x 77W)
MEL- SQ207/8 A330 becomes B772ER (from SYD)
MEL- SQ237/8 B773 becomes B77W (from AMS)
PVG- SQ836/25 A330 becomes B77W (from AMS)
SYD- SQ241/2 B772ER becomes B773 (from MEL)

Two A359s free up 1.5 77Ws to cascade down to freeing up an A330 to leave the fleet. No 777s are freed to leave the fleet due to the above, suggesting that on the whole, the A330s will leave before the older B777s do.

[FSJZ]

I assume you have been on SYI?

Nope not yet. Just asking around to confirm whether this is true.

[zilchster]

I wonder if this means SQ 227 will now return as SQ 238 and SQ 237 will return as SQ 228.

[SQ218]

Oohh 3X 77W for MEL

I wonder if this means SQ 227 will now return as SQ 238 and SQ 237 will return as SQ 228.

Depends As 227/227 currently gets 77WN and which 77W 237/238 will get.

I flew SQ217 on Sat last week and surprisingly got 9V-SWU when it usually gets the older 77W.

[SQfanatic]

Ok, here are the rotations that are happening from May 8/9 (source = PDF timetable):

AMS- SQ324/3 B77W becomes A359 daily (frees up 1.5 x 77W)
MEL- SQ207/8 A330 becomes B772ER (from SYD)
MEL- SQ237/8 B773 becomes B77W (from AMS)
PVG- SQ836/25 A330 becomes B77W (from AMS)
SYD- SQ241/2 B772ER becomes B773 (from MEL)

Two A359s free up 1.5 77Ws to cascade down to freeing up an A330 to leave the fleet. No 777s are freed to leave the fleet due to the above, suggesting that on the whole, the A330s will leave before the older B777s do.

It's good to hear changes as upgrades to the 77W. I would generally not be surprised if MEL gets two daily 77WN and one regular 77W. The fact that a 77W is being freed probably gives some breathing room to refit a plane after SWP that they haven't started working with (In this case SWQ was supposed to take its turn last month, SWR this month). Hope it won't affect SQ2/1 because they need two frames to do a daily 77WN.

Hopefully there will be more 77WR routes in addition to JNB and the existing routes. Probably one of the MEL routes could go from 77W to 77WR but so far not at the moment. From an observational point of view, going from a A380 or old cabin 77W to a 77WR is an upgrade in terms of the cabin products (A downgrade in terms of size if from an A380 to a 77W)

[SQ228]

I wonder if this means SQ 227 will now return as SQ 238 and SQ 237 will return as SQ 228.

I had often wondered about this but possibly not, unless MEL doesn't mind giving them two gates to use simultaneously. At present SQ227/8 is moved to a spot on the tarmac for the long wait.

I then also considered the advantage of having SQ227 return as SQ238. If both planes are the same there is no advantage at all since all you are effectively doing is sharing the wait across two craft instead of one. The pair of planes will still return at the same pair of times, if that makes sense. The advantage only kicks in when you want to use two different products for the flights in which case it comes down to how long each product can be spared to sit on the tarmac (the A380 problem) and scheduling, i.e. do you need a certain plane back in time to head elsewhere (the A380 problem again).