A350 Deliveries and Routes

[CarbonMan]

Never heard of arctic training but it sure sounds interesting! I very much doubt the kebayas would suffice, nor even their winter gear...

Perhaps they are trained how to share body heat.

Anyways, if the plane does "land" on the Arctic, all the pax should be well "preserved" until found, assuming the fuel-laden plane somehow doesn't become an inferno.

[FN-GM]

Since it is a tiny bit of modification, perhaps Singapore Airlines should have ordered a few more ULR plane fitted with standard Long haul cabin so that existing SIN-SFO and SIN-LAX flight could be flown without payload restriction. I don’t see a huge premium economy or business demand on some of the North American routes.

That would mean another sub fleet reducing flexibility and increasing costs.

[davidfusq]

I don't think that the full ULR spec of the A350 will required for SIN-SFO and SIN-LAX to be flown nonstop without payload restrictions, since the ULR spec further bumps up the fuel capacity to 165,000 litres from 141,000. A higher gross weight A359 - 280t in this case - would most likely suffice. There would also be greater flexibility with 280t A359s, since SQ can send these aircraft to shorter A350 routes without the need for conversion.

Still, I do see the need for the A359ULR in the SQ fleet for high-premium North America routes, as well as for those not within the range of the normal A359.

That would mean another sub fleet reducing flexibility and increasing costs.

To keep the fleet simple, I would then agree with SQ957 a higher gross weight (280t) A359 HGW - would most likely suffice and SQ could take some of them when it becomes available. I read on 2016/2017 CAPA analysis, a report that Vietnam Airlines was considering the A359 HGW to enable it to fly non stop to LAX from SGN, but its availability will be in 2019 or 2020, later than the availability of A359 ULR. With A359 HGW, SIN-SFO flight would probably be operated in the standard longhaul configuration without payload restrictions, unlike the present situation.

Which third North American destinations would you speculate SQ will fly to with its fifth to seventh A359 ULR? This destination should have plenty of premium demand to support the premium heavy configuration of the ULR and possibly be out of range for the HGW.

[SQ228]

Which third North American destinations would you speculate SQ will fly to with its fifth to seventh A359 ULR? This destination should have plenty of premium demand to support the premium heavy configuration of the ULR and possibly be out of range for the HGW.

The most heavily guarded secret at SQ right now...

There are people on here who have some intel and people who may even know the answer, but to blurt out such high level secrecies on the www would mean they'd never get any info again, so for now it's just mostly uninformed fantasy floating about

[Kyo]

The most heavily guarded secret at SQ right now...

There are people on here who have some intel and people who may even know the answer, but to blurt out such high level secrecies on the www would mean they'd never get any info again, so for now it's just mostly uninformed fantasy floating about

I've always fantasised about flying to Albuquerque on SQ!

[SQ228]

I've always fantasised about flying to Albuquerque on SQ!

I used to fantasise about flying to Düsseldorf on SQ, so never say never!

[wlgspotter]

I used to fantasise about flying to Düsseldorf on SQ, so never say never!

Ditto me with the fantasies of SQ flying to Wellington...

[Trent1000]

The most heavily guarded secret at SQ right now...

There are people on here who have some intel and people who may even know the answer, but to blurt out such high level secrecies on the www would mean they'd never get any info again, so for now it's just mostly uninformed fantasy floating about

My guess is Chicago.

[Jumbojet Lover]

My guess is Chicago.

Definitely mine as well. I hope that they'd leave SFO as it is with the standard A350 and re-start ORD, non-stop from SIN this time. Since SQ started codesharing with UA out of IAH, maybe they would also start codesharing out of ORD to cities around the Midwest.

[davidfusq]

Sometimes I wonder why SQ does not fit first class product on the A359 ULR since such a distant long haul flying would possibly warrant special treat for the 'royals'.

[Jumbojet Lover]

Sometimes I wonder why SQ does not fit first class product on the A359 ULR since such a distant long haul flying would possibly warrant special treat for the 'royals'.

First class seats are heavier than business class seats and may not command the premium fares since business class is so good already on SQ. Weight minimization is critical for an ULR route so any weight savings helps. SQ even worked with Zodiac for a lighter version of the PEY seat:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/singapore-airlines-new-premium-economy-seat-worlds-longest-flight/


SQ would need to tweak their first class seat since the A350 cabin width is narrower than the Boeing 777. Then the seat would need to be certified on the A350 since the standard SQ A350 does not offer it. Both would have associated costs, for only a sub-fleet of 7 aircraft. Lastly, if the ULR flights don't work out again and SQ reconfigures the A350ULR to be in line with the standard fleet, the first class seats would have to be ripped out and replaced with business class seats. Not having first class seats in the first place avoids this.

[9V-SKU]

My guess is Chicago.

I’m guessing Seattle or Vancouver.

Seattle because of its status as a tech hub and Vancouver because SQ’s *A partner Air Canada could code share and provide feeder/ onward journey connections all across Canada.

[9V-SML]

First class seats are heavier than business class seats and may not command the premium fares since business class is so good already on SQ. Weight minimization is critical for an ULR route so any weight savings helps. SQ even worked with Zodiac for a lighter version of the PEY seat:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/singapore-airlines-new-premium-economy-seat-worlds-longest-flight/


SQ would need to tweak their first class seat since the A350 cabin width is narrower than the Boeing 777. Then the seat would need to be certified on the A350 since the standard SQ A350 does not offer it. Both would have associated costs, for only a sub-fleet of 7 aircraft. Lastly, if the ULR flights don't work out again and SQ reconfigures the A350ULR to be in line with the standard fleet, the first class seats would have to be ripped out and replaced with business class seats. Not having first class seats in the first place avoids this.

Thanks for the link on the PEY seats. Am about to book a seat on the flight for Jan 2019.

Quote from the linked article:

In addition to the footrest, these Singapore Airlines Premium Economy seats have a legrest to help support your legs. While I didn’t notice it at the time, I’m noticing after-the-fact how awkwardly placed the legrest looks compared to the lip of the seat bottom.

While it didn’t feel awkward in my time testing out the seat, it’s clear that there’s a gap between my legs and the legrest due to the shaping.

With regard to the leg rest, I didn't find it comfortable on the standard A350 PEY and I'm certainly not looking forward to the similar design of the PEY seat on the A350-900ULR. Looking at the pictures of him in that seat, I'm curious how the designers decided on the ergonomics of the leg rest. Looks more like an ankle rest to me.

[FSJZ]

https://thepointsguy.com/news/singapore-airlines-new-premium-economy-seat-worlds-longest-flight/

Looks like the single PY seats at the back of the plane in the 1-4-1 arrangement will be more towards the aisle than the window. There seems to be a huge storage bin at the window side, similar to the A380 upper deck economy storage bins, but bigger.

Perhaps it could store a full sized carry on baggage, due to the lack of overhead bins or smaller bins near the back of the cabin?

[wdranne]

Looks like the single PY seats at the back of the plane in the 1-4-1 arrangement will be more towards the aisle than the window. There seems to be a huge storage bin at the window side, similar to the A380 upper deck economy storage bins, but bigger.

Perhaps it could store a full sized carry on baggage, due to the lack of overhead bins or smaller bins near the back of the cabin?

Yes, the last few rows of the A350 do not have useable overhead bins in the middle due to the protruding space being taken up by the crew rest compartment overhead.