Singapore Air plans to order 50 new aircraft
 

Reuters
UPDATE - Singapore Air plans to order 50 new aircraft
Saturday June 5, 3:18 am ET

SINGAPORE, June 5 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines, the world's second-largest airline by market value, said on Saturday it planned to place orders for about 50 new aircraft.

It said it would make a decision on the purchases, which would be part of its fleet renewal programme, in about two months.

"The numbers are still under development, I should say, but we are looking at least at in order of 50 aircraft, but that would include both firm (orders) as well as options," Chief Executive Chew Choong Seng told reporters.

The national carrier said in February it had asked airframe manufacturers Boeing Co and Airbus SAS to bid for new plane orders it may place later this year.

The planes will cover the medium-haul and regional needs of the 57 percent government-owned airline over the coming years.

Singapore Air has a fleet of 85 planes as of April. It would be the first carrier to fly the 555-seat Airbus A380 in 2006.

About 88 percent of Singapore Airlines' S$1.69 billion ($988.3 million) 2004/05 capital expenditure is for aircraft.

This is a company that loves things(eg,her airplanes), and uses people.

Be aware that Singapore Airlines renews its fleet pretty often, i even guess they have one of the youngest fleets worldwide, because they sell their aircrafts much earlier than others. that leads to more orders, which does not mean they actually increase the size of their fleet substantially.

nevertheless, they might have enough reasons to increase their fleet.