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Load factor on SQ231 and SQ222

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  • Load factor on SQ231 and SQ222

    Hi fellow SQTalkers,

    I am relatively new to this forum (even though I have been reading the posts here for quite some time) so hopefully you guys can bear with my question.

    I will be flying on SQ231 and SQ222 in a few weeks time and I wonder what the load factors are like in Y on both flights (especially SQ222). There seems to be many empty seats left on the flight (even on the upper deck). Should I anticipate a light load and plan to use the middle 4 seats as a makeshift "flatbed" for the flight back?

    Cheers,
    Maverick

  • #2
    Originally posted by maverick_lim View Post
    Hi fellow SQTalkers,

    I am relatively new to this forum (even though I have been reading the posts here for quite some time) so hopefully you guys can bear with my question.

    I will be flying on SQ231 and SQ222 in a few weeks time and I wonder what the load factors are like in Y on both flights (especially SQ222). There seems to be many empty seats left on the flight (even on the upper deck). Should I anticipate a light load and plan to use the middle 4 seats as a makeshift "flatbed" for the flight back?

    Cheers,
    Maverick
    Welcome Maverick!

    I fly out of MEL, rather than SYD, but I can tell you SQ are very good at filling Australian flights. Sometimes I will see a fair few gaps when selecting seats, but by the time I board, it's often at capacity. July is a very busy month flying in/out of Australia as all eastern states have school holidays around that time and many of our Mediterranean communities here head back to ancestral towns and villages for various festivals. Lots of school groups too, who might be located down the back!

    I'm afraid it often really is a gamble- secure the seat you want, knowing you won't have any free spots nearby, or go for a less than perfect seat and hope it doesn't suddenly fill. You've definitely got more chance on the lower deck I would guess. They've recently increased flights to SYD, so maybe you will be lucky and just happen to strike a pocket of lower demand.

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    • #3
      SQ231 is often very full and you will be lucky if you can find the middle seats empty. Therefore I would say you shouldn't be putting too much hope of getting yourself a Skycouch on those flights.

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      • #4
        Is there a convenient website that can look up load factor easily? I have always been curious about the load factors for SQ1/2.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by SQ228 View Post
          Welcome Maverick!

          I fly out of MEL, rather than SYD, but I can tell you SQ are very good at filling Australian flights. Sometimes I will see a fair few gaps when selecting seats, but by the time I board, it's often at capacity. July is a very busy month flying in/out of Australia as all eastern states have school holidays around that time and many of our Mediterranean communities here head back to ancestral towns and villages for various festivals. Lots of school groups too, who might be located down the back!

          I'm afraid it often really is a gamble- secure the seat you want, knowing you won't have any free spots nearby, or go for a less than perfect seat and hope it doesn't suddenly fill. You've definitely got more chance on the lower deck I would guess. They've recently increased flights to SYD, so maybe you will be lucky and just happen to strike a pocket of lower demand.
          Hi SQ228,

          For some reason, SQ222's upper deck is still pretty empty even though it is just a few weeks out. Fingers crossed that I will be able to get the "Skycouch". Based on my seatmap, 73DEFG to 75DEFG, 81DEFG, 76DEF as well as 74HK and 75HK are still empty. Is this a sign of a light load? Lower deck isn't filled too with lots of empty seats.

          Regards,
          Maverick

          Comment


          • #6
            It is hard to predict when flights will have low loads, however mid-week flights are more likely to be lightly loaded, especially if there are multiple flights to the same destination each day.

            I find that on the A380, the upper deck Y cabin fills up a lot more quickly than the main deck. There is more likelihood of getting 3 or 4 seats to yourself if you book a seat in the rear of the main deck. Even on lightly loaded flights, I find that the upper deck mini-Y cabin tends to fill up first, because pax seem to like sitting upstairs.

            Of course all bets are off if there is a large tour or school group onboard, as these are often given the seats in the rear of the main deck. If the seat map shows the rear section full, it is likely that there is a tour/school group.

            Once onboard, even if your row is occupied, there might occasionally be empty rows around you (More likely in the rear of the plane.) SQ is quite liberal about pax changing seats in the Y cabin prior to take-off, once doors are closed. The best time to do so is once the announcement "Cabin crew, doors closed." is made...then it is usually ok to move from your seat to an empty row. Keep a look-out for empty rows towards the end of the boarding process, and once the announcement is made, make your move.
            Last edited by yflyer; 16 June 2017, 12:44 PM.

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            • #7
              Pretty much concur with what yflyer says. Upper deck Y cabin is extremely popular, and it would be a little more difficult to get an empty block of 4. If you are lucky, the seat next to you would be empty.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by SQ002 View Post
                Is there a convenient website that can look up load factor easily? I have always been curious about the load factors for SQ1/2.
                ExpertFlyer, but has that helped people to that degree?

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by yflyer View Post
                  It is hard to predict when flights will have low loads, however mid-week flights are more likely to be lightly loaded, especially if there are multiple flights to the same destination each day.

                  I find that on the A380, the upper deck Y cabin fills up a lot more quickly than the main deck. There is more likelihood of getting 3 or 4 seats to yourself if you book a seat in the rear of the main deck. Even on lightly loaded flights, I find that the upper deck mini-Y cabin tends to fill up first, because pax seem to like sitting upstairs.

                  Of course all bets are off if there is a large tour or school group onboard, as these are often given the seats in the rear of the main deck. If the seat map shows the rear section full, it is likely that there is a tour/school group.

                  Once onboard, even if your row is occupied, there might occasionally be empty rows around you (More likely in the rear of the plane.) SQ is quite liberal about pax changing seats in the Y cabin prior to take-off, once doors are closed. The best time to do so is once the announcement "Cabin crew, doors closed." is made...then it is usually ok to move from your seat to an empty row. Keep a look-out for empty rows towards the end of the boarding process, and once the announcement is made, make your move.
                  Hi yflyer,

                  Based on my seatmap, the seats in the rear lower deck cabin seems very empty. I guess I'll take my chances there instead of the upper deck. Fingers crossed that there wouldn't be a last minute group of students allocated there. I'll heed your advice on looking for empty rows.

                  (On a side note, has anyone actually tried flying on SQ231 and SQ222? What is the service flow like and what should I expect?)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    i just flew SQ231 13 June 9V-SKG on J, but my sons on PEY, the Y class (especially rear section) were empty so my sons moved to rear Y class and convert the middle four-seat into a "mini-suite", the J class was like 70% load factor, and only two paxes in Suite as I walk thru to see my sons. On the wayback next week I will take SQ232, and based on my view on ExpertFlyer, the J is 50% and Y class is 100%, prolly due to winter holiday and lots of overseas students returning to Asia.

                    A note on 9V-SKG, she has not flown for a while and on that SQ231 13 June was the first flight, but I didnot see any refurbishment on interior, so prolly she went for regular maintenance, we had a smooth flight and landing by Captain Tim Yong.

                    Maverick, SQ231 will return to Singapore as SQ222, and I was told by the crew that they got a one night stay only in Sydney's Hilton and working on SQ231/SQ222 pattern.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by maverick_lim View Post
                      Hi yflyer,

                      Based on my seatmap, the seats in the rear lower deck cabin seems very empty. I guess I'll take my chances there instead of the upper deck. Fingers crossed that there wouldn't be a last minute group of students allocated there. I'll heed your advice on looking for empty rows.

                      (On a side note, has anyone actually tried flying on SQ231 and SQ222? What is the service flow like and what should I expect?)
                      I did those flights years back (hopefully nothing has changed)

                      SQ 231 - light supper + full breakfast 2 hours before landing.
                      SQ 222 - (similar to SQ 228) - drinks + dinner after take off, refreshment before landing.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by maverick_lim View Post
                        (On a side note, has anyone actually tried flying on SQ231 and SQ222? What is the service flow like and what should I expect?)
                        This is ancient history...but I did a SIN-SYD-SIN TR way back in 2013, which included SQ222 SYD-SIN on A380 Y. For your reading pleasure here...

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by zilchster View Post
                          I did those flights years back (hopefully nothing has changed)

                          SQ 231 - light supper + full breakfast 2 hours before landing.
                          SQ 222 - (similar to SQ 228) - drinks + dinner after take off, refreshment before landing.
                          Unfortunately, if SQ231 has gone the same way as SQ237, they are now serving a full dinner at the start of the flight and a tiny breakfast at the end, even though the flight leaves very late and then arrives in well after dawn. I'm not sure what has caused this other than perhaps efficiency in serving the big meal first or avoiding passengers being hungry in the night maybe. I'd much rather it the other way when I'm arriving around 9:30.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by SQ228 View Post
                            Unfortunately, if SQ231 has gone the same way as SQ237, they are now serving a full dinner at the start of the flight and a tiny breakfast at the end
                            I don't think it has - SQ231 has always gotten a supper (which in recent times has become an actual hot option instead of it being a wrap or a sandwich) and a full breakfast.

                            I think the reason for this is it leaves Singapore past midnight, whereas SQ237 leaves before midnight (albeit just). SQ251, which leaves at 23.30, gets the same dinner + conti breakfast combination.

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