SQ217/218: downgauge is preponed

[SQueeze]

I just got notified that my parents' mid April flight SQ218 has been downgaguged from A380 Suites to 77W F

Looks like they move forward the downgauge plan

[SQGamespeed]

Looks like SQ is giving MEL the short end of the stick again?

Or is this a downgauge involving other destinations as well?

[SQ228]

The planned downgauge was to coincide with a fourth daily MEL flight SQ207/8.

The A380 on SQ 217/8 is to be replaced with a 77W on same flight and an A330 on the new flights, so I think it is unlikely that SQ intends to remove capacity off MEL.

I have heard reports that SQ217/8 has had very low loadings, possibly in J as it runs with an A38E on most days. Maybe the issue is the seat mix rather than the total seats available. SQ217 has always had very high loadings as a 77W.

I'm flying SQ217 in Y this coming Sunday so I can provide a loads report in Y after that. I've certainly not been advised that I will be on a 77W.

I also hold a ticket for one of the first SQ207 flights in July, timed to depart SIN at 0730 approx.

[MLflyer]

I think as the loads for SQ207/208 and SQ217/218 and even SQ228/227 consolidate after a period the new flight has operated, we may see the A380 back on SQ217/218.

I don't mind that the 77W is replacing the A380 on SQ217/218, I would be if it was to be something inferior. Anyways its much better to have x4 daily flights now, with more options rather than x3 daily flights.

[SQueeze]

The planned downgauge was to coincide with a fourth daily MEL flight SQ207/8.

The A380 on SQ 217/8 is to be replaced with a 77W on same flight and an A330 on the new flights, so I think it is unlikely that SQ intends to remove capacity off MEL.

I have heard reports that SQ217/8 has had very low loadings, possibly in J as it runs with an A38E on most days. Maybe the issue is the seat mix rather than the total seats available. SQ217 has always had very high loadings as a 77W.

I'm flying SQ217 in Y this coming Sunday so I can provide a loads report in Y after that. I've certainly not been advised that I will be on a 77W.

I also hold a ticket for one of the first SQ207 flights in July, timed to depart SIN at 0730 approx.

My parents' flights which just have been downgauged are mid-April flights before the introduction of the 4th daily so there is an interim reduction in capacity

[SQ228]

My parents' flights which just have been downgauged are mid-April flights before the introduction of the 4th daily so there is an interim reduction in capacity

Oh, I don't doubt that it is correct.

I'm more surprised that it would occur just before they were planning to upgauge. Perhaps the capacity increase is off and I will get an email rebooking me onto a different flight for SQ207 in July...

All I can put this down to is going from A38E to 77W + 333 = massive increase in Y, massive decrease in J.

I had heard a story from a friend, don't know if it's true, that they had been upgraded on SQ217 in February from Y to J and that the upstairs J cabin was near empty. I was suspicious as SQ don't do upgrades, but it was around the time that the flight was switched from 388 to 38E, so sort of made sense.

[SQueeze]

I just discovered that the down gauge is only between 10 April and 19 April.

I wonder what happens to the A380 in this 10 days? Some refurbishment perhaps?

[SQ228]

Is that long enough to build an upper-deck Y compartment into an A38E?

Maybe some maintenance rotations happening? SQ 217/8 flips between A388 and A38E at times, probably because the loadings are fairly soft that they can use it for flexibility. SQ 227/8 is always an A388 though- too heavily booked to play around with.

Compared with QF, SQ are filling their planes. My SQ238 flight a week ago on the 73A was very healthy for a mid-week departure.

A friend flew MEL-HKG on a QF A330, Monday departure in early February. A total of 23 passengers on board!

[jgm]

My SQ318 SIN-LHR on April 21 has also been down gauged from an A380 to a 77W.

[SQ228]

Maybe it's just too expensive to fly the A380s full of empty seats.

But where will they pull all these 77Ws from? They've sold off all the unrefurbed 773s (SYE was last to finally go) and five of the old SQ* series 772s are now gone, plus they have a 772ER in the workshop for refitting.

I guess by April the 77W currently on AMS flights will be freed up and MXP/BCN isn't using as many as it used to.