Singapore Airlines ramps up regional fleet with Boeing 787, Airbus 350
By David Flynn, March 27 2018
Singapore Airlines is about to begin a rolling revamp of its regional fleet with new Boeing 787-10 and Airbus A350 jets sporting an all-new regional business class seat in a 1-2-1 layout which converts into a fully-flat bed, shown below.
AusBT review: Singapore Airlines' 2018 regional business class seat
The airline will this week take delivery of the first of a planned 49 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, to be followed later this year by a regional version of its Airbus A350 jets.
Both will adopt a two-class configuration with the new regional business class seats and economy, in the process dropping premium economy cabin.
"What we have found is that (premium economy) demand is particularly strong on long-haul routes," says Singapore Airlines CEO Mr Goh Choon Phong, "so as these aircraft are meant mainly for regional and medium-haul (routes) we find it more suitable to configure in two- class."
Goh confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that a tranche of A350 deliveries starting in the second half of this year would be fitted out in this regional configuration.
Singapore Airlines sees regional or medium-range routes as will be intended for medium-range flights of around eight hours – a scope which includes Australia and the Asia-Pacific circle.
Goh said that in addition to expanding the airline's regional network to new destinations the Boeing 787-10s would "also replace the older Boeing 777s including the 777-200, and also some Airbus A330s because all the A330s we have are on lease."
When the first regional Airbus A350s arrive "we will also do some A330 replacement," Goh said, although he suggested the airline might continue leasing some of the A330s depending on market conditions.
"The about the lease arrangement is that it gives us flexibility – there is always the possibility for us to extend the lease, so if the market situation looks good we then we will exercise that flexibility."
Goh also flagged the possibility of converting some of the airline's 49 orders for the Boeing 787-10 to the smaller but longer-range Boeing 787-9.
"The intention for the 787-10 is medium-haul but we do have the flexibility to convert some of the orders to either the -8 or -9" he told Australian Business Traveller ahead of the delivery flight of the airline's first Boeing 787-10 from Boeing's South Carolina facility.
David Flynn travelled to South Carolina as a guest of Singapore Airlines
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 163
So can we expect P/E class to be off the radar for SQ on SIN-Aust services?
07 Mar 2017
Total posts 59
As they say elsewhere that “80% of the world’s population is in range of these aircraft (from Singapore)” not all of that would fall into “the regional market”.
As East coast Aus is still towards the outer range of that, I wouldn’t expect them to replace with these for us.
Moreover, a lot of traffic from Aus is still going on to other destinations e.g. Europe which are definitely long haul so that would also rule them out.
20 May 2015
Total posts 581
Probably not entirely. Due to Australians connecting to longhaul flights on SQ they'll probably have one daily frequency with PE, and otherwise add frequencies on the regional models of jet.
11 Dec 2015
Total posts 85
I can't speak for other cities, but for Sydney it's been the opposite, with PE appearing on more flights, including (finally) the early morning SQ212
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
No, SQ's Airbus A380s and Boeing 777-300ER jets have premium economy and both of those types fly to Australia.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 465
Disappointed that SQ are sending 787s to PER with no PE without ever testing the market for PE out of PER. While PER-SIN is 5 hours, there are many passengers connecting to long haul and also flights in Asia that give a cumulative time of over 10 hours. Squeezing into a Y seat after travelling from Europe to Singapore in PE is one of my least favorite travel experiences.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1209
I'd expect W class only on the SQ A380s and 77Ws in AU going forward with the existing A350s going onto longer haul sectors into Europe, South Africa and America. QF and CX have had a similar experience that W class is not a huge seller on regional flights but very popular on longer sectors.
QF
02 Oct 2012
Total posts 45
Goodbye old 777s with angled J class seats is all I can say. Last month on our SINMEL night flight our 777-300ER was downgraded at the last minute to an old 777-300 with angled seats. No one told me until boarding and I was not a happy camper.
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
16 Jun 2017
Total posts 35
Does this mean ADL will get the A350 or B787? Its about time.
07 Jun 2016
Total posts 29
I am a real big fan of your website and what you’re doing but all that SQ 787 coverage over the last few days is starting to get anticlimactic. The 787-10 delivery diary has reached a length where people have started to lose the will to live reading through it and yet days later still no eye candy of the inside of the bird. Meanwhile the article has been buried deep down on the main page where it grabs no attention.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
Thanks for your feedback, Sula. The delivery diary will end when the delivery flight ends – it was an experimental treatment and has no reason to go on once the delivery flight is done. And as clearly explained in that article we can't show 'eye candy of the inside of the bird' because we are under an embargo. As soon as the embargo lifts (Wednesday arvo) you can expect plenty of 'eye candy' :)
06 Dec 2017
Total posts 110
I hope Adelaide gets the A350.we have till the a330 arrived on the scene in 2009 the last part of the AUSTRALIAN SQ NETWORK to get the latest and greatest of the fleet types on offer.
23 May 2014
Total posts 119
For the record - I've been really enjoying the delivery flight diary. Reading it is as usual optional.
28 Mar 2018
Total posts 1
Please report the route that the new 787-10 will take to Singapore. I understand that the range capability of it will require one refueling stop to reach Singapore from North Charleston, South Carolina. Where is that? Marvelous airplane. Hope I live long enough to see the 797 in service, too. Or even travel on both! I expect the 797 by 2030 will be the standard replacing the 737. Wishing Singapore Airlines great success with the 787-10! RSM, PE, Dallas, TX.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
06 Sep 2012
Total posts 234
The flight will have a fuel stop in Osaka. Not too sure about the exact flight route, may have to wait on David's review later today to confirm.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Dec 2012
Total posts 53
Im sad there is not Premium Economy on the regional fleet
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Singapore Airlines ramps up regional fleet with Boeing 787, Airbus 350