A330 Deliveries

[flyguy]

SIA should extend the lease of those A330s that are reaching their 10 year lease to better use it on their regional routes to replace the older 772s that are still being used for Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta and HCM and Hanoi and even to Hong kong.

[SQ228]

SIA should extend the lease of those A330s that are reaching their 10 year lease to better use it on their regional routes to replace the older 772s that are still being used for Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta and HCM and Hanoi and even to Hong kong.

Actually they are nowhere near 10 years old- not even 6! We know one is due to be returned by March next year, presumably 9V-STA, and since it's now almost 3 weeks out of service, it may be in the process of leaving the fleet. Regardless, 9V-STA only joined the fleet in January 2009 and is still a few months short of 6 years' service, compared with 9V-SRH that arrived May 2001.

I very much agree- for a 6 year old A330 to be leaving, only to be replaced by another identical A330 while a comparitively ancient 772 is still flying around with purple seats and without AVOD is truly bizarre.

Could it be due to SQ wanting to avoid having anything to do with a major overhaul (I think I've seen it referred to on here as a D-Check?) which often occurs around the 6 year mark? I'm also guessing that an old 772 wouldn't be worth much on the second-hand market, so keep flying it around earning $$ for a bit longer?

[FN-GM]

Actually they are nowhere near 10 years old- not even 6! We know one is due to be returned by March next year, presumably 9V-STA, and since it's now almost 3 weeks out of service, it may be in the process of leaving the fleet. Regardless, 9V-STA only joined the fleet in January 2009 and is still a few months short of 6 years' service, compared with 9V-SRH that arrived May 2001.

I very much agree- for a 6 year old A330 to be leaving, only to be replaced by another identical A330 while a comparitively ancient 772 is still flying around with purple seats and without AVOD is truly bizarre.

Could it be due to SQ wanting to avoid having anything to do with a major overhaul (I think I've seen it referred to on here as a D-Check?) which often occurs around the 6 year mark? I'm also guessing that an old 772 wouldn't be worth much on the second-hand market, so keep flying it around earning $$ for a bit longer?

Do SQ own or lease this older 722? If they lease it they probably don't want to replace it early as they would have to pay fee's for breaking the lease before the end of the agreement.

[flyguy]

If I remembered correctly reading then that the A330s are leased from AB for a period of 10 years then. It would not costs SIA too much even if the A330s goes in for its D check between 5 yrs and 6 yrs as its very economical and suited to the regional network rather than using the ancient 772s which also requires more maintenance as a older plane.
On the requirement for a regional type of aircraft like the A330, SIA doesn't seem to have one as all its planes in future - the A350s and B787s are all capable of doing 12 hours flight and some up to 14.5 hours. There should be a regional type like the A330 as SIA does fly frequently regionally in Asia from Japan to India to Australia - which are all below 8 hours flying time and it would make good economic sense to have one type of regional aircraft like the newer A330NEO.

[Jumbojet Lover]

On the requirement for a regional type of aircraft like the A330, SIA doesn't seem to have one as all its planes in future - the A350s and B787s are all capable of doing 12 hours flight and some up to 14.5 hours. There should be a regional type like the A330 as SIA does fly frequently regionally in Asia from Japan to India to Australia - which are all below 8 hours flying time and it would make good economic sense to have one type of regional aircraft like the newer A330NEO.

There is - the Boeing 787-10. Though it is a number of years away

[SQ228]

Yesterday 9V-STA made an "SQ8893" flight from SIN, returning to SIN, according to internet records.

SQ8893 is the same flight number used by both SSC and SSD when they flew from TLS to join the fleet.

[flyguy]

The B787-10 is still a fairly long haul plane with up to above 12 hours of flying time. What SIA needs is more a regional aircraft for flights 8 hours and below - like the A330 which is an ideal aircraft for its regional Intra-Asia and Aussie routes. From Boeing site - "The new 787-10, launched in June 2013, will extend and complement the family, carrying 323 passengers up to 7,020 nautical miles (13,000 km), or more than 90 percent of the world's twin-aisle routes."

[Jumbojet Lover]

The B787-10 is still a fairly long haul plane with up to above 12 hours of flying time. What SIA needs is more a regional aircraft for flights 8 hours and below - like the A330 which is an ideal aircraft for its regional Intra-Asia and Aussie routes. From Boeing site - "The new 787-10, launched in June 2013, will extend and complement the family, carrying 323 passengers up to 7,020 nautical miles (13,000 km), or more than 90 percent of the world's twin-aisle routes."

I presumed that SIA would utilize the 787-10 on regional routes since SIA has the A350-900 on order for long-haul routes. According to airbus.com, the A350-900 "accommodates 315 passengers in a two-class configuration, ...with a range of up to 7,750 nautical miles."

I really do wonder what SIA's plans are for regional aircraft if the new A330s are only replacing older A330s and not the oldest 777s.

[FN-GM]

I presumed that SIA would utilize the 787-10 on regional routes since SIA has the A350-900 on order for long-haul routes. According to airbus.com, the A350-900 "accommodates 315 passengers in a two-class configuration, ...with a range of up to 7,750 nautical miles."

I really do wonder what SIA's plans are for regional aircraft if the new A330s are only replacing older A330s and not the oldest 777s.

I believe the 787 can fly regional routes just an economically as long haul routes so that supports what you say.

[259850]

Based on evidence, I wouldn't come to the conclusion the A330s are not replacing the 777s. Remember, the announced plan for this fiscal year is to decommission 1 A330 and 7 777s. The leases on the original set of A330s were for 6 yrs with an option to extend by 4 yrs. So choosing not to extend the option on 1 aircraft doesn't mean they're doing the same on the others. It could be specific to that 1 A330 being returned (issues with lease pricing, issues with performance, etc).

We need to wait till SQ makes its fleet plans for the next fiscal year public.

[SQ228]

9V-STA has been back flying for the last few days, but since then STB has now been out of action so there must be some kind of rolling maintenance work affecting the A330s.

[SQ228]

9V-SSE arrived in SIN 2 days ago.

[SQ228]

9V-SSE is in service with its first flight being BKK that it returned from a couple of hours ago.

[9V-SIA]

Just flew back on 9V-SSB.

The J seat is slightly different in that they've lost one of the two reading lights found on the seat.

The window seat also loses the seat back "wing" by the window

Time for a new regional J seat

[sqzulu]

So how many 777-200 / 777-200 er will be decommissioned this year