A350 Deliveries and Routes

[leops1984]

There are 3 A350s ahead of 9V-SMA in the production line. 2 already have had their first flight and 1 is awaiting its first flight. These 3 will likely be the only deliveries in Jan. SMA should be the first delivery of Feb if there are no more delays.

The list I saw has MSN 26 (SQ) only behind MSN 22 (AY) and MSN 12 (QR), in order of acceptance date. MSN 12 is to be accepted on February 22 - so SMA's acceptance will be late February or early March, if the order I saw is accurate.

[SQKevin]

Yes, lavatories are being blamed for the delay. Here is the link to a report on this.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviat...social_twitter

Airbus has blamed delays in delivering its new A350 aircraft to customers like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific on an extended toilet wait, writes Jamie Freed.

Flight passengers are used to standing in queues waiting for the loo. Now, airlines have the pleasure as well, with Airbus blaming delays in delivering its new A350 aircraft to customers like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific on an extended toilet wait.

The European aerospace giant said it would have been running on schedule had it not been for the late delivery of airline toilets and seats from manufacturer Zodiac Aerospace.


'Last year we suffered a lot with Zodiac. I expect they will manage to do better this year, especially as a lot of A350s are directly linked to their performance on lavatories and seats.'

Fabrice Bregier, Airbus chief executive

"We could have delivered 15 [A350s rather than 14 last year] if we had not been trapped by some cabin elements of the last aircraft of the year," Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier told media at Airbus's annual press conference in Paris on Tuesday.

"Last year we suffered a lot with Zodiac. I expect they will manage to do better this year, especially as a lot of A350s are directly linked to their performance on lavatories and seats."

Mr Bregier's decision to shame the toilet supplier publicly is unusual, but he said he had done so because he believed Zodiac had been in denial and taken too long to put in place an improvement plan.

"So they got a wake-up call. I de-selected them on the A330neo cabin elements because they just cannot cope with what is ahead of us," he said. "I believe they can do better and have plans to do better. But they are not yet out of a ditch."

Revised expectations

Singapore Airlines is poised to take delivery of its first A350 sometime this quarter, a broader timeframe than it had in October, when it expected it this month.

"There are a few factors – the seats, the fittings," Singapore Airlines Tiow Kor Tan said of the revised forecast last month. "Plus the training required for pilots. The first commercial flight will be around the March/April timeframe."

Rival Cathay Pacific now expects its first A350 in March, whereas last year it had forecast a February delivery.

Neither of those airlines has selected an Australian destination among its initial routes. Qatar Airways plans to launch the country's first A350 services on the Doha-Adelaide route in May.

Mr Bregier said Airbus should be able to deliver at least 50 A350s this year as it ramped up production. The first deliveries are of the A350-900, but the larger A350-1000 is due for its first flight in the fourth quarter, followed by the first delivery in the middle of next year.

Qantas last year re-examined the possibility of ordering the A350 but settled on exercising well-priced options over the rival Boeing 787-9 aircraft for delivery from 2017.

[SQKevin]

The list I saw has MSN 26 (SQ) only behind MSN 22 (AY) and MSN 12 (QR), in order of acceptance date. MSN 12 is to be accepted on February 22 - so SMA's acceptance will be late February or early March, if the order I saw is accurate.

The unofficial production list I saw shows MSN 22 (AY) and MSN 23 (AY) having had their first flights. MSN 22's delivery is scheduled for 27 Jan. MSN 12 (QR) is awaiting its first flight at the end of Jan. Delivery will be in Feb. So SMA looks like it will be the second delivery in Feb barring any further delays.

[SQ228]

Now it makes sense why SQ has not opened PEY bookings to AMS until June. I suspected they might be nervous about the delivery schedule and clearly they have reason to be as they need two deliveries before they can go daily to AMS.

The timeline of the third A350 to serve DUS from July no longer looks so generous either.

[kaiser]

Given the usual time frame of first flight > delivery > commercial operations - what's the likely hood of SQ having two A350s operational by late April? I changed my itinerary and made a detour on my trip to fly AMS-SIN on 26th April thinking it would be A350 by then- wondering if I should just cancel it and stick to my original itinerary which was FRA-SIN.

[leops1984]

Given the usual time frame of first flight > delivery > commercial operations - what's the likely hood of SQ having two A350s operational by late April? I changed my itinerary and made a detour on my trip to fly AMS-SIN on 26th April thinking it would be A350 by then- wondering if I should just cancel it and stick to my original itinerary which was FRA-SIN.

I would say pretty good. Assuming no more delays, the acceptance and delivery of SMB should be immediately before MSN 29 (CX's first A350). CX is now putting the delivery of their first A350 in March. Late April should be okay.

[SQKevin]

I would say pretty good. Assuming no more delays, the acceptance and delivery of SMB should be immediately before MSN 29 (CX's first A350). CX is now putting the delivery of their first A350 in March. Late April should be okay.

I would agree with that too. In fact, the first 3 SQ A350s are all in the same stage of production, that is, cabin fitting. So if the lavatory supply issues are resolved soon, we can expect SMA, SMB and SMC to be delivered in quick succession from late Feb or earlier to end March.

[bent]

I would agree with that too. In fact, the first 3 SQ A350s are all in the same stage of production, that is, cabin fitting. So if the lavatory supply issues are resolved soon, we can expect SMA, SMB and SMC to be delivered in quick succession from late Feb or earlier to end March.

but then SQ still has the fam flights to CGK and KUL to run..how long do these fam flights usually last?

[kaiser]

Thanks. I'll wait until the end of March and then re evaluate. Hoepfully by then they will have a firm start date.

[Metropolitan Airlines]

Singapore Airlines Airbus A350: first commercial flights March/April

Singapore Airlines expects commercial Airbus A350 flights to begin in March or April following delays to delivery of the first aircraft, which was previously expected this month.

"The first commercial flight will be around the March/April timeframe," Singapore Airlines executive Tiow Kor Tan tells Australian Business Traveller, adding that the revised schedule was driven by "a few factors – the seats, the fittings, together with the training for pilots."

Source: http://www.ausbt.com.au/singapore-ai...n=home-flipper

So looks like it does make sense that the proposed change to AMS will not commence until June as the delay is in effect.

[SQ218]

mmm I hope it's on trial run on my KUL - SIN sector 23 March

[SQ228]

So looks like it does make sense that the proposed change to AMS will not commence until June as the delay is in effect.

I suspect that the A350 will be flying to AMS much earlier than June but SQ don't want to have to deal with disgruntled passengers who booked PEY seats but then have to be downgraded to regular Y. A lot of people who opt for PEY really hate long haul flights in regular Y so for them it would be a massive crisis played out on Facebook...

Upgrading people to PEY or offering last minute paid upgrades or discounted tickets will keep everyone happy and not result in negative publicity that could tarnish the launch of their new long haul plane that they have invested in pretty heavily.

That's my take on the situation anyway, especially after the drama that occurred early on with the A380 delayed installation.

[9V-JKL]

Well put SQ228

[SQKevin]

9V-SMA has emerged on the Flight Line today. Assuming that cabin fit is complete and there are no further delays, first flight will take place at the end of January with delivery in mid-February.

9V-SMB is currently at Station 20. The cowling is missing from the engine. Photo below.

[bent]

Agreed with SQ228. AMS will likely get it before June, barring no further delays.