A350 Deliveries and Routes

[SQMilan]

Please, does anyone know if there is the possibility that Milan gets the new A350 and/or there is the possibility of splitting MXP from BCN? So sad to see Milan 5xweek instead of daily thank you

[Metropolitan Airlines]

Please, does anyone know if there is the possibility that Milan gets the new A350 and/or there is the possibility of splitting MXP from BCN? So sad to see Milan 5xweek instead of daily thank you

I think that eventually could be done, but I suppose they might need to do it step by step. Let's see what's going to happen as long as more and more A350s are being delivered, in particular BCN and GRU are going to get A350s soon Milan might have chance to upgrade.

[SQKevin]

50MB on-board Wi-Fi on Singapore Airlines A350s

Singapore Airlines will deploy high-speed connectivity on its A350 fleet, with Sitaonair providing the passenger connectivity services (Wi-Fi and mobile phone text and data services).

Source: Airbus


The installation of the first Inmarsat GX Aviation system powered by Honeywell’s JetWave satellite communications hardware is scheduled for the end of 2016.

The 3rd GX Aviation satellite was successfully launched at the end of August, completing the constellation that provides consistent global coverage.

GX Aviation provides data speeds of up to 50MBs to the aircraft: for the very first time, there really will be no difference between being in the air and being on the ground.

The onboard Wi-Fi will reflect what most people are used to at home.

Thales will provide the airborne connectivity system for the A350-900s with Sitaonair providing the Wi-Fi Internet and Mobile phone service. And Zodiac Inflight Innovations will provide the JetWave GX Aviation Satcom for the A350.

Based on the article “Singapore Airlines will deploy high-speed connectivity” published in eturbonews.com

[Metropolitan Airlines]

50MB on-board Wi-Fi on Singapore Airlines A350s

Singapore Airlines will deploy high-speed connectivity on its A350 fleet, with Sitaonair providing the passenger connectivity services (Wi-Fi and mobile phone text and data services).

Source: Airbus


The installation of the first Inmarsat GX Aviation system powered by Honeywell’s JetWave satellite communications hardware is scheduled for the end of 2016.

The 3rd GX Aviation satellite was successfully launched at the end of August, completing the constellation that provides consistent global coverage.

GX Aviation provides data speeds of up to 50MBs to the aircraft: for the very first time, there really will be no difference between being in the air and being on the ground.

The onboard Wi-Fi will reflect what most people are used to at home.

Thales will provide the airborne connectivity system for the A350-900s with Sitaonair providing the Wi-Fi Internet and Mobile phone service. And Zodiac Inflight Innovations will provide the JetWave GX Aviation Satcom for the A350.

Let's hope that data pricing will be the same as the ones on B77WNs so that we will be able to get WiFi all the way and can Whatsapp/WeChat/Line all the way.

[Metropolitan Airlines]

Could this be a hint of where A350 will go next?

Singapore Airlines Closes Selected First Class 777-300ER Reservations in NS16

Singapore Airlines recently updated its planned inventory for Northern summer 2016 season, which sees the closure of First Class reservation (F / A Class) on a number of flights operated by Boeing 777-300ER.

As of 23NOV15, routes served by 777-300ER, with First Class reservation no longer offered, as follow.

eff 27MAR16 Singapore – Amsterdam
eff 31MAR16 Singapore – Auckland Selected days
eff 04SEP16 Singapore – Milan Malpensa – Barcelona Day 7 service (Day 27 from 13SEP16)
eff 03OCT16 Singapore – Barcelona – Sao Paulo

Source: http://airlineroute.net/2015/11/23/sq-77w-s16update1/

That's interesting that AKL might be getting A350s as well... Replacing A380 perhaps?

[SQfanatic]

Let's hope that data pricing will be the same as the ones on B77WNs so that we will be able to get WiFi all the way and can Whatsapp/WeChat/Line all the way.

I hope it will be time-based, it could definitely work to use Instagram, Snapchat, and some internet to check email and surf the web. Well, I hope it will be the same for the 77WR aircraft as well.

Could this be a hint of where A350 will go next?



That's interesting that AKL might be getting A350s as well... Replacing A380 perhaps?

I was thinking of that because the A350's coming in 2016 will not have First class at all. And as for SFO, I don't see it going A350 anytime soon. HKG and ICN route must have a good level of First Class demand, plus the A350 is smaller in capacity. Sounds like F was not doing very good on those routes which is why they're closing out on First Class

[SQMilan]

Could this be a hint of where A350 will go next?



That's interesting that AKL might be getting A350s as well... Replacing A380 perhaps?

It was the same question that I would like to make. Is Singapore Airlines foreseeing to refurbish some 77Ws without First Class? If not, I guess that there is a high probability that Milan gets the new A350. But at the same time we have to see if SQ is going to close First Class reservation also on SQ368/367 flights (SIN-MXP-SIN). I think that having First Class service on 3/5 flights does not make sense.

[wlgspotter]

Could this be a hint of where A350 will go next?



That's interesting that AKL might be getting A350s as well... Replacing A380 perhaps?

I too was a little surprised to see this announcement, and like many of you I was thinking maybe it shows some of the potential A350 routes. Interesting to read about AKL. Since SQ's A380 ops to AKL is seasonal, over the Southern Summer, it would have reverted back to 77W(R) towards the end of March.

I read on the Airliners.net forum that someone thought CHC is also a potential for early A350 route, so in a way it is surprising CHC wasn't in the announcement above. However, thinking about the announcement (which is about closure and removal of First Classon B777 flights), CHC currently doesn't have any First Class service anyway seeing it is served exclusively by B777-200ERs, so maybe CHC might get the A350 too...?

[Metropolitan Airlines]

I read on the Airliners.net forum that someone thought CHC is also a potential for early A350 route, so in a way it is surprising CHC wasn't in the announcement above. However, thinking about the announcement (which is about closure and removal of First Classon B777 flights), CHC currently doesn't have any First Class service anyway seeing it is served exclusively by B777-200ERs, so maybe CHC might get the A350 too...?

I suppose as SQ are receiving 11 A350s by year's end we are going to see at least a dozen routes upgraded to A350s.

Also I have been thinking about possibility of 3 Class B77WRs, which will be handy for routes which doesn't need First class to operate. But I doubt as this is not announced whether SQ will be as flexible as CX in having multiple configuration on their planes.

[SQ228]

I too was a little surprised to see this announcement, and like many of you I was thinking maybe it shows some of the potential A350 routes. Interesting to read about AKL. Since SQ's A380 ops to AKL is seasonal, over the Southern Summer, it would have reverted back to 77W(R) towards the end of March.

I read on the Airliners.net forum that someone thought CHC is also a potential for early A350 route, so in a way it is surprising CHC wasn't in the announcement above. However, thinking about the announcement (which is about closure and removal of First Classon B777 flights), CHC currently doesn't have any First Class service anyway seeing it is served exclusively by B777-200ERs, so maybe CHC might get the A350 too...?

This is what I was thinking too. CHC would have made sense as an A350 route rather than AKL. What is really unusual with AKL is that it is not a destination that can be slotted in between and early morning arrival from Europe and a late evening departure for Europe. Pretty much all the route announcements we've seen so far for the A350 involve this pattern- AMS, DUS, potentially CPH and now MXP/BCN. AKL really needs its own plane for 24 hours.

But then as you point out, F class doesn't exist in these situations (I'm thinking SQ242/2, SQ207/8, SQ297/8) so there's no need to close F reservations. Perhaps among all their new routes they have found a couple of rotations with a day's gap and they want the option of using them for AKL and therefore don't want the problem of what to do with F reservations on those days, should they decide to shift them onto NZ routes.

[wlgspotter]

This is what I was thinking too. CHC would have made sense as an A350 route rather than AKL. What is really unusual with AKL is that it is not a destination that can be slotted in between and early morning arrival from Europe and a late evening departure for Europe. Pretty much all the route announcements we've seen so far for the A350 involve this pattern- AMS, DUS, potentially CPH and now MXP/BCN. AKL really needs its own plane for 24 hours.

But then as you point out, F class doesn't exist in these situations (I'm thinking SQ242/2, SQ207/8, SQ297/8) so there's no need to close F reservations. Perhaps among all their new routes they have found a couple of rotations with a day's gap and they want the option of using them for AKL and therefore don't want the problem of what to do with F reservations on those days, should they decide to shift them onto NZ routes.

Well, yes that is true. AKL (and CHC, for that matter), really needs an aircraft on its own for 24 hours to complete a full rotation. Having said that, the only other reason that I can think of about closing selected F class on AKL is perhaps yield - not sure how full/popular F class would be on AKL flights. And besides, the only other direct "competitor" on the route is AirNZ, which doesn't have F class anyway, so maybe they are looking at "streamlining" their product offerings on AKL for the longer term...

[SQKevin]

SQ#3, 9V-SMC has just emerged from the Paint Hanger. The first three SQ A350 are now fully painted and on schedule to be delivered from January to March 2016 in time for the launch of A350 flights to Amsterdam in April 2016.

We should see 9V-SMA making its first flight before the end of December.

[FN-GM]

I really do think the A350 is one of the best looking aircraft in the skies!

[leops1984]

They've opened a microsite for the A350:

http://www.singaporeair.com/microsite/a350/

Nothing we already didn't know, but something to keep an eye on.

[SQflyergirl]

I'm wondering when they'll load the training flights into GDS....