Over a third of Singapore Airlines’ A380s are being put out to pasture as the carrier right-sizes its fleet for the Covid era
Singapore Airlines will ship 26 planes into retirement, together with greater than a 3rd of its flagship Airbus A380s and all Boeing 777-300s, following an evaluation of its community in gentle of Covid-19 and a crippling S$3.5 billion loss within the first half of its 2020-2021 monetary yr.
Going through not solely a world downturn in journey however a raft of border closures together with at Singapore itself, and with no home market to fall again on, the provider has seen passenger numbers plummet by 98.9%.
With world travel demand unlikely to return till 2024, by some predictions, Singapore Airlines will retire 26 planes which have “deemed surplus to fleet necessities.
This will likely be led by seven Airbus A380s, representing simply shy of 40% of the 19-strong fleet.
These will presumably from the older ‘authentic’ of the superjumbo fleet which launched the airline’s personal first-class suites.
All the airline’s double-decker juggernauts have been grounded since March.
Round a dozen stay parked at Changi Airport, the place some have been becoming a pop-up restaurant serving lunch and dinner to ‘passengers’ who by no means depart the bottom.
The rest resides on the long-term Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage facility in Alice Springs, the place the arid local weather and low humidity helps maintain planes in high situation till they’re able to fly once more.
Singapore Airlines was notably the celebrated launch buyer for the Airbus A380 in October 2007, and from December 2017 added a second tranche of newer A380s sporting upgraded first and enterprise-class designs.
Additionally being put to pasture are all 4 of the airline’s Boeing 777-300s – not the better-known and longer-range 777-300ER jets – plus 4 extra Boeing 777-200ERs.
As well as, the whole lot of regional arm SilkAir’s single-aisle Airbus A319 and A320 fleet is being scrapped to favor the Boeing 737 and 737 MAX fleet.
As previously reported, SilkAir is being folded into its guardian superbrand, which can even see the Boeing 737s flying a brand new lie-flat regional enterprise-class seat (proven beneath in a dressed-by-Boeing remedy).
Singapore Airlines flagged the probably right-sizing of its fleet in July, saying “we’re reviewing the potential form and dimension of our community over the long term given COVID-19 and its influence on our passenger site visitors and income, which is able to present higher readability on the fleet dimension and blend that the group will want.”
The provider has additionally been pressured to push again the launch of its Boeing 777-9 jetliners, together with their new-look first-class suites and enterprise-class seats.
