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  • The A350 is currently on its first ever flight on the Rome FCO route today. Registration 9V-SML.

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    • Originally posted by SQKevin View Post
      A 6th Test Flight for 9V-SMQ yesterday. A move to the Delivery Centre for her CAF could finally happen soon.

      Looks like delivery can occur over our 3-day Labor Day weekend this weekend, or latest next week or next weekend. Thanks for the updates.

      Hopefully SMR will be delivered a few days after.

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      • Originally posted by SQfanatic View Post
        Looks like delivery can occur over our 3-day Labor Day weekend this weekend, or latest next week or next weekend. Thanks for the updates.

        Hopefully SMR will be delivered a few days after.
        I though labour day was a US only holiday?

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        • Originally posted by SQfanatic View Post
          Looks like delivery can occur over our 3-day Labor Day weekend this weekend, or latest next week or next weekend. Thanks for the updates.

          Hopefully SMR will be delivered a few days after.
          SMQ completed a 7th Test Flight yesterday. The earliest she will be delivered is next weekend provided she is moved to the Delivery Centre on Monday for her CAF. This is the first time a SQ A350 will be exceeding 7 Test Flights including the CAF. I doubt that there is anything technically wrong with this frame. More like SQ is not ready to take delivery of SMQ and is allowing Airbus to conduct the large number of Test Flights to keep her airworthy.

          There is no absolutely no chance that SMR will be delivered a few days after SMQ assuming that she will be delivered next weekend. Since her rollout onto the Flight Line on 30 July, SMR has not had any activity conducted on her, not even her first Engine Run. The earliest the First Flight will take place will be the end of next week. SMR is beginning to look like an early October delivery if nothing happens to her soon.

          As mentioned in this thread, 16 frames is more than sufficient to cover all the current A350 routes including FCO. SMQ & SMR should arrive in time for the commencement of A350 flights to BNE in October.

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          • Originally posted by SQKevin View Post
            As mentioned in this thread, 16 frames is more than sufficient to cover all the current A350 routes including FCO. SMQ & SMR should arrive in time for the commencement of A350 flights to BNE in October.
            Maybe instead of deferring the A350 deliveries, SQ should instead take them and accelerate the 772ER retirements. After all, weren't the first batch of A359s supposed to replace the 772ER? All of the latter are still flying around...

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            • Originally posted by FN-GM View Post
              I though labour day was a US only holiday?
              He's referencing a holiday in his country for a plane delivery that will occur between two other countries. I don't even know what day it is.

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              • Originally posted by SQ228 View Post
                He's referencing a holiday in his country for a plane delivery that will occur between two other countries. I don't even know what day it is.
                Lol I apologize for confusing all of you...Yes, in the US it is Labor Day weekend for us. I was only asking about the A350 deliveries. But at least it's good to know 2 are still coming at some point or the other this month.

                If it's going to take a few more weekends, I hope FCO isn't too tight on the A350's given there have been cases they just go tech too often. We are seeing 77W swaps as a result, either the 77WN or 77WR (if any available).

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                • Originally posted by jaywell View Post
                  Maybe instead of deferring the A350 deliveries, SQ should instead take them and accelerate the 772ER retirements. After all, weren't the first batch of A359s supposed to replace the 772ER? All of the latter are still flying around...
                  We are also left with IST and CHC. Minimally, if they can, they can replace some longhaul 772ER routes with 77WR temporarily til the A350s come into place just like they did with CPH.

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                  • Originally posted by SQfanatic View Post
                    We are also left with IST and CHC. Minimally, if they can, they can replace some longhaul 772ER routes with 77WR temporarily til the A350s come into place just like they did with CPH.
                    It's interesting that they are deploying 2x refitted 772ER to CHC in the southern summer months this coming northern winter. I do wonder if the loads are that fantastic for SQ to send 2 aircraft around 2 hrs apart instead of upgauging to a single 77W(-/R/N). Too many spare refitted 772ER lying around?

                    I'd love to see A359 on SIN-CHC though. A 10 hour flight deserves better.

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                    • Originally posted by 9V-SML View Post
                      It's interesting that they are deploying 2x refitted 772ER to CHC in the southern summer months this coming northern winter. I do wonder if the loads are that fantastic for SQ to send 2 aircraft around 2 hrs apart instead of upgauging to a single 77W(-/R/N). Too many spare refitted 772ER lying around?

                      I'd love to see A359 on SIN-CHC though. A 10 hour flight deserves better.
                      Ok, I see. If that be the case, then CHC has gotten at least a retrofitted 772ER. This was just a possible speculation that SQ may eventually explore. Then again, you do see there are still many getting replaced with the A350's.

                      How about IST? Just curious.

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                      • Originally posted by 9V-SML View Post
                        It's interesting that they are deploying 2x refitted 772ER to CHC in the southern summer months this coming northern winter. I do wonder if the loads are that fantastic for SQ to send 2 aircraft around 2 hrs apart instead of upgauging to a single 77W(-/R/N). Too many spare refitted 772ER lying around?

                        I'd love to see A359 on SIN-CHC though. A 10 hour flight deserves better.
                        Yes, exactly that- too many 772ER lying around. CHC has been served only by 772ERs for a long time now. There's no competition on the route- the closest are seasonal operations by CX and direct flights to mainland China. I wouldn't imagine the premium cabin demand would ever come close to matching that of AKL.

                        The extra flights would be simply to meet seasonal demand. Peak season travellers are more accepting of getting old aircraft if it means they can get a ticket at a decent price and these old planes would otherwise be sitting on the ground, so it makes sense to deploy them.

                        The B772ERs have a very useful configuration for this purpose as they have a relatively large Y cabin and small J cabin compared to the rest of the long haul fleet. The extra capacity is mostly tourists who want cheap fares. Any of the B77W planes would actually have less Y seats, even the ones without PEY, so in actual fact changing to a 77W would be a downgauge from 245 to 228 Y seats. They would then have more J seats to fill, up from 26 to 42 as well as an F cabin there's no demand for.

                        I agree that it seems odd not to send the second plane 12 hours apart instead of 2, but they must have reasons for it I guess, but the airport is curfew-free so that's not one of them. In terms of the A350, I'm guessing a change from 26J/245Y to 42J/187Y+24PEY doesn't suit the route and all the other long haul craft in the fleet capable of reaching CHC fully loaded have an even higher number of premium cabin seats, so without much competition, CHC is stuck with the old product for now.

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                        • Originally posted by SQ228 View Post
                          I agree that it seems odd not to send the second plane 12 hours apart instead of 2, but they must have reasons for it I guess, but the airport is curfew-free so that's not one of them. In terms of the A350, I'm guessing a change from 26J/245Y to 42J/187Y+24PEY doesn't suit the route and all the other long haul craft in the fleet capable of reaching CHC fully loaded have an even higher number of premium cabin seats, so without much competition, CHC is stuck with the old product for now.
                          I bet it will be down to staffing. If they have it 12 hours apart they will have to pay 2 shifts of staff. With the 2 hour difference the same staff managing the existing flight can also manage the second.

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                          • The Singapore to Christchurch flights are all about the timing, even if it means having two flights departing within a couple of hours of each other. Over the Christmas period there are loads more people going on holidays.

                            I've done the flight many times, they are nearly always close to full, and the evening schedule out of singapore is great. Departing close to 8pm You can eat, watch a movie and get some sleep before landing into Christchurch around 10am local time. On the way back it's a day flight that lands into singapore around 5pm, so great for onward connections. The flight is very popular with residents of the NZ South Island as it offers a direct flight to Singapore and one stop to London or much or Asia & Europe. Otherwise the alternatives are transiting through Auckland or sydney.

                            I do hope they upgrade to A350's soon. The last time I flew I think it was SVC, and it was starting to look very tired.

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                            • Originally posted by FN-GM View Post
                              I bet it will be down to staffing. If they have it 12 hours apart they will have to pay 2 shifts of staff. With the 2 hour difference the same staff managing the existing flight can also manage the second.
                              Ah, I never think about the staffing. Good answer!

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                              • 9V-SMQ has moved to the Delivery Centre and is currently doing her CAF. Delivery could take place this weekend.

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