Like 'Hung like a Horse', (see "SQ006 Revisited" thread), I've always suspected that 'Titan' and 'Gladiator' might have had a not too hidden agenda in their pursuit of SQ. However, I was in Singapore last week, and had arranged to see a friend who works for SQ. He couldn't make it - he'd been called out for a flight. But he wasn't complaining, because he'd worked out that the only way he could get any leave was to fly until he 'max-ed out' on his flying hours for the year - which he was very close to achieving.
It will be interesting to see how and where SQ finds crews for the 14 new 777's soon to join their fleet. You can't help but wonder if something approaching the following scenario hasn't been touted around a Singapore boardroom. (If it has, it might explain the seemingly suicidal tendencies among AN senior managers in their mishandling of their 767 fleet maintenance.)
Let's see... SQ own a big slice of ANZ, who own AN, and SQ own a big slice of Virgin Atlantic, who are run by the same man who owns Virgin Blue, whose staff, (including pilots), come far, far more cheaply than the very well paid AN pilots and the very long term AN engineering and ground staff. How do we (literally) kill two birds with one stone? - ie, get cheap 777 BONDED pilots for our Australia basings AND get to run a domestic operation within Australia far, far more cheaply than we currently are using Ansett?
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean the b*****'s aren't after you.