(PHOTO) Singapore Airlines receives 787-10, reveals plans for A350URL and 777X
Singapore Airlines received its first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner yesterday and had revealed plans to expand its Dreamliner network for Nagoya and Fukuoka after Osaka and Perth.
The Boeing 787, registered as 9V-SCA, took off from Charleston Airport for a 14-hour flight to Osaka. After a 3 hour layover for a crew change and refuel, the Dreamliner headed south for its home base in Singapore Changi Airport. This layover also provides an opportunity for technicians to get used to the largest Dreamliner variant before its inaugural service to Osaka.
(9V-SCC arriving Singapore Changi after a 7 hour flight from Osaka. Photo from Twice_Aviation on Instgram)
Singapore Airlines will start its first Dreamliner commercial service on 3rd April for crew familiarization flights to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. As the second Dreamliner (9V-SCB) is delivered, the carrier will introduce 787 on flights to Osaka in May, replacing the Airbus A330-300. Scoot is another airline operating on this route using 787-8. Our partner, Yuo Hao from Singapore, is privileged to be among the first on SIA’s Dreamliner service to Osaka and will provide first-hand insights on the cabin products offered.
(Boeing 787-10s on the assembly line. It will be delivered to Singapore Airlines within this year.)
The 49 Dreamliners that SIA ordered will be used to replace Airbus A330-300s which are currently used on short to medium haul routes. The 787-10 offers 36 business and 301 economy class seats. This represents an 18 percent increase in passenger capacity compared to current A330 configuration. Though it is not confirmed, it is highly possible for SIA to introduce more seating configurations for their Dreamliner. According to sources, only the initial 20 Dreamliners delivered to SIA will have this 337 seater configuration.
When compared to the A330-300s, economy-class seats now come with larger in-flight entertainment touchscreens, a newly contoured backrest and a six-way adjustable headrest for greater comfort. One main feature is that new IFEs on the 787s allow passengers to save or resume movies across flights, which means passengers will no longer need to reload movies after every crew announcement.
(click in to see details for 787-10 economy class seats)
For business-class product, the 787 provides seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, instead of 2-2-2, where all passengers can have direct aisle access. Other airlines that provide 1-2-1 Dreamliner configurations include Air Canada and KLM, with airlines including United, Air India, and JAL chose to feature 2-2-2 layout on their 787 product. The center pair of seats in this class also has adjustable dividers so that customers traveling alone can have more privacy. However, when compared to other airlines, the Dreamliner offered in SIA configuration has shorter bed length and narrower seat width, with a smaller TV offered.
(click in to see details for 787-10 economy class seats)
The 787-10 Dreamliner isn't the only spotlight for Singapore Airlines. The carrier will also be the first airline to take delivery of the Airbus A350-900URL (ultra long range). SIA initially wishes to use the seven URL they have ordered to restart flights for Los Angeles and New York, which are canceled after their Airbus A340-500 fleet are returned to Airbus. However, it is now possible for SIA to look for a third destination for their URL, and original plans to launch service for Los Angeles may be changed, given that United Airways already started service between the cities using 787-9.
A preliminary LOPA ('layout of passenger accommodations') chart of SIA’s A350-900LR configuration indicates that it will be filled with 68 business class seats – almost 2½ times as many as on SQ's standard A350 – and 94 premium economy seats (in a standard 2-4-2 arrangement). This is similar to the business class exclusive A340-500 for Singapore Airlines which are fitted with 100 seats only. Initially they had both business class and premium economy on the retired A340s, and eventually, they cut premium economy and went for an all business class configuration for ultra long-haul flights to Los Angeles and Newmark.
While the airline declined to reveal any clues for possible URL destinations, Houston is a highly likely destination that SIA may pick. Routes that actually need the A359ULR's range and have the premium demand to sustain an A359 filled with only premium seats are few. With the US West Coast being able to be covered by existing A350-900 and 777-300ER, the only locations that have such a combination are Chicago and Houston. Chicago is a large and interesting market with high volume market, which is likely to be served by the 777-9s configurated in a not-dense 4 class cabin.
(Click in to see the flight deck of 9V-SCA, and some more details on the first 787-10 for Singapore Airlines)
Singapore Airlines has been focusing on seat products in recent years. 'Next Generation' business class seat was featured to the entire 777-300ER fleet for the airline. Singapore Airlines also launched new cabin products for their five new Airbus A380 late last year, featuring first class suites. New A380 cabin products will be seen on flights to Sydney, London, and Hong Kong while the airline plans to reconfigure its entire fleet of 24 jumbos in new products. As mentioned above, the airline plans to feature a non-economy class A350-900URL and set high standards for 777X layout. With the rollout for SIA’s premium medium haul 787-10 configuration, it is apparent that the airline wishes to lure high-value customers through seatings and enhance competitiveness among low-cost carriers and airlines including Cathay Pacific or Qantas Airways.
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