Confirmed: New-Build A380's to get all J upper deck

[Nick C]

Isn't -SKM the first of the new configuration?

[feb01mel]

SIA's new A380s will lose economy cabin on upper deck

SIA's new A380s will lose economy cabin on upper deck

Announced in Business Traveller

One of the advantages in booking an economy class ticket on one of SIA’s A380 super jumbos is that you get to sit on the upper deck. But take advantage of this facility while you can.

As regular travellers will testify this is the choicest location for economy passengers. The small upper deck cabin (located behind business class) has a club-like atmosphere and a quieter ambience than in the economy cabin’s main location on the A380’s lower deck. Passengers are accommodated eight-across (2-4-2) upstairs compared with ten-across (3-4-3) downstairs.

As the word has got around the upper cabin has become ever popular. A reader, recently returned from Sydney in economy class, reports that upstairs can be fully booked while choicer seats (with window or aisle locations) remain empty downstairs.

But all good things must come to an end. Although SIA has not announced the news officially, Business Traveller has learnt that the carrier’s 13th and subsequent A380s (scheduled for delivery in May 2011 onwards) will have the upper economy removed in favour of extending business class all the way to the back.

It means that these later A380s (SIA has a total of 25 on order) will accommodate more business passengers to meet demand. But this will be at the expense of those in economy class.

At the time of writing, it seems that SIA’s existing 12 A380s will retain their same configuration.

The reconfigured A380s are likely to appear on prime business routes such as Singapore to London Heathrow, Paris CDG and Zurich as well as the forthcoming Singapore-Tokyo-Los Angeles route (see Online news December 3).

The existing A380s (with the upper deck economy) would be rostered on sectors where business demand is not so high, such as Singapore to Melbourne and Sydney, or regional routes like Singapore to Hong Kong.

The good news is that readers have months or years to sample the upper deck economy class. It will be some considerable time before the new batch of A380s takes over.

In the meantime, passengers travelling from May onwards must check their seat assignments carefully. They must also note that airlines can, and do, make last minute plane changes.


http://asia.businesstraveller.com/ne...y-cabin-layout

[9V-SIA]

With the weight savings from fewer PAX and improved a/c performance,

will these new A380s be able to fly SIN-JFK/SFO/LAX non stop?

[kt74]

SIA's new A380s will lose economy cabin on upper deck

Announced in Business Traveller

I wouldn't place too much significance on that article, as it seems to be lifted (as with several of Alex McWhirter's "exclusive" scoops) directly from the SQTalk and/or Flyertalk forum... (Hi Alex, if you're reading! What are you gonna plagiarise today?!)

In particular, the "likely to appear" bit is complete speculation, and non-sensicle from a scheduling perspective

[zvezda]

With the weight savings from fewer PAX and improved a/c performance,

will these new A380s be able to fly SIN-JFK/SFO/LAX non stop?

Yes, no problem eastbound -- at least to SFO/LAX. However, JFK/SFO/LAX-SIN nonstop would be a problem with the current WhaleJets. The lighter WhaleJets with improved engines that will be produced starting in 2012 or 2013 will be able to fly JFK/SFO/LAX-SIN nonstop with the new seating configuration.

[9V-JKL]

Business Traveller has learnt that the carrier’s 13th and subsequent A380s (scheduled for delivery in May 2011 onwards) will have the upper economy removed in favour of extending business class all the way to the back.

I wonder where they learnt it from.......

[SQ238]

I wouldn't place too much significance on that article, as it seems to be lifted (as with several of Alex McWhirter's "exclusive" scoops) directly from the SQTalk and/or Flyertalk forum... (Hi Alex, if you're reading! What are you gonna plagiarise today?!)

In particular, the "likely to appear" bit is complete speculation, and non-sensicle from a scheduling perspective

[SQflyergirl]

As long as we know the truth

[SilverChris]

SQ ordered 25 A380s? And what do they mean by "new batch"?

[9V-JKL]

SQ ordered 25 A380s? And what do they mean by "new batch"?

19 firm + 6 on options
SQ originally had 10 firm and then exercise their options to add another 9 firm. So you could say that the 1st 10 are the 1st batch and the second 9 are the 2nd batch.

anyways, I think BT just took our thread title on new build and consider it 'new batch'...

[milehighj]

anyways, I think BT just took our thread title on new build and consider it 'new batch'...

One could always follow the MH route and call 'em the A380-800NG.

[Kyo]

We all know zvezda will be utterly disappointed that the term 'tranche' wasn't used...

[zvezda]

One could always follow the MH route and call 'em the A380-800NG.

G for Batch?

We all know zvezda will be utterly disappointed that the term 'tranche' wasn't used...

Using terms that are usual and customary in the industry or context helps to reduce confusion.

I do believe that SQ will soon exercise options for a third tranche of six (or perhaps more) of the new, improved, lighter, more fuel efficient WhaleJets that will be built starting in 2012/2013. If I were the incoming CEO, I would exercise the existing six options and buy some more options to be exercised if disappointed with whatever Boeing announces to succeed the 777-300ER.

[kt74]

Yes, no problem eastbound -- at least to SFO/LAX.

Really? Qantas doesn't think I can fly SYD-LAX any more, and last time I checked, SYD was closer to LAX than SIN. I guess that depends on how many passengers SQ wants to carry and whether they want to risk an uncontained engine failure or not...

[zvezda]

Really? Qantas doesn't think I can fly SYD-LAX any more, and last time I checked, SYD was closer to LAX than SIN. I guess that depends on how many passengers SQ wants to carry and whether they want to risk an uncontained engine failure or not...

SYD-LAX is not the problem. LAX-SYD is the problem.

Fair use excerpt:
'"Were the aircraft to be used with a full or commercially viable payload at the required thrust for take-off from [Los Angeles International Airport] LAX, the engines would need to be replaced after 75 such take-offs," Qantas General Manager Engineering and Maintenance Adrian Verkerk tells Qantas' lawyers in the affidavit.'

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...ht-cycles.html