Singapore Airlines
 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_3363779.htm

SINGAPORE, Aug. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- To be compensated by Airbus for the eight-month delivery delay of its first A380 aircraft is Singapore Airlines' (SIA) preferred option up to now, SIA's vice-president for Public Affairs Stephen Forshaw said on Tuesday.

According to Channel NewsAsia report, SIA, the first customer of the largest commercial aircraft ever built, "has not ruled out a lawsuit against the plane manufacturer" while having compensation talks with it.

SIA might ask for over 6 million US dollars, said the report.

As a A380 plane has 555 seats, which is 30 percent more than a Boeing 747-400, SIA said that it has to expand the leases on some of the Boeing 747s to deal with high passenger loads during the period of the delay.

SIA has ordered 10 A380 planes, together with another 15 on option. The first delivery was scheduled in March 2006.

In early June this year, Airbus confirmed the delay of the delivery of its super-jumbo jet for no specific reason. Enditem

No big deal for Airbus. Just less launch aid returned to the taxpayer, if any at all.

The interesting thing in this article is the mention of an 8 month delay versus the six month delay announced by Airbus. Several airlines have said they will reconsider their purchase of the 380 if deliveries slip any further. I'm wondering if the press release is simply wrong (likely) or there's an unannounced further delay.

Punkalouvre, all, repeat, all launch aid since the A320 first came on the market has been repaid within the time frame specified by each Government involved. There is no reason to think this will be any different for the A380.
Save your cheap and ill-informed digs for something you actually know about.

8 months
 

8 months delay is not new, it is just forgotten. Once upon a time, Airbus 380 was supposed to make a first flight in March 2005 and Enter into Service in March 2006. Then the first flight was delayed to April and late April at that, and EIS was delayed to 2nd quarter. So, this 6 months delay that caused scandal came on top of a 2 months delay accepted previously.

I just wonder why Singapore Airlines are doing so much megaphone diplomacy about this. There have been programme delays before (one of the 777 variants had similar hiccups in its development with aircraft sat at Seattle for the best part of a year), without such constant press releases from the customer about the same subject time after time.

Chorn

Thanks for the info. That explains the 8 month delay but not why SIA decided to make an issue of it now.

Hint at QF/SQ Merger
 

PM hints at Qantas merger
November 17, 2005 - 3:32PM

Prime Minister John Howard today indicated that he would like to see Qantas and Singapore Airlines work more closely together, including a possible merger, at some stage in the future.

Mr Howard made the comment to Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum in Busan, South Korea.

During their meeting the pair discussed Australia's open skies policy, which is currently under review.

Mr Howard said he told Mr Lee that he would "like one day to see Qantas and Singapore Airlines to come together".

Asked if that meant a merger, Mr Howard said: "Whatever that might ultimately mean, including the word you just used."

- AAP

If they do merge, please don't take away the Singapore Girls!

Could call them the "Singapore Sheilas"

What about the reduction in competition? Just another way to keep screwing the poor bloody Australian passenger!

Yep Sunfish I couldnt have put it better.
A merger would simply increase the size of the monopoly.
Anyway it can only happen in Howards dreams.
Paper today in Singapore under the heading "Howard wants close ties for Qantas and SIA" got this answer from an SQ spokesman-- "Qantas and SIA are competitors and that means consumers win from having a choice". This is a very nice way of saying 'forget it mate'.

Yep, Merge with the hangn place.
World, strange it is.

I was under the impression that QF had been privatised, so why is JH doing the forward planning? Imagine if Tony Blair started telling BA what he'd like its future partner strategy to be....

Actually it happens all the time. It's generally achieved by lobbyists selling a particular message to politicians and public servants.

Typical messages:

"Australia can only support two car companies" - Meaning don't bail out the others if they go under.

"Australia can only support one International Airline" - meaning Qantas.

"Australia can only support one defence ship builder" - and its going to be in Adelaide mate!

"Australia cannot build aircraft"

and so on and so on.

There is a wealth of this conventional wisdom spread by self serving individuals and John Howard is just parroting what he has obviously been told. - And it appears he has been told that QF needs to grow to achieve "Economies of Scale".

That would be consistent with the desire of management to preserve their positions in a management structure which seems increasingly top heavy and inward looking.

SQ orders 20 787-9
 

Singapore Airlines has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase 20 Boeing 787-9s, with purchase rights for another 20 of the same aircraft.
At current manufacturer catalogue prices, the value of the 20 firm aircraft is US$4.52 billion.
Deliveries will be scheduled between early 2011 and mid 2013, and will be for fleet renewal as well as to cater for growth.
The decision to purchase the 787-9 is the culmination of an extensive evaluation of the performance characteristics and operating economics promised for the different versions of Boeing’s new 787 aircraft.
The –9 is the newest version on offer, and has the largest cabin and longest range. In a standard three-class configuration, it can carry between 250 and 290 passengers. It also has space for about 20 tonnes of cargo, and will have a range of 8,600 to 8,800 nautical miles (15,900 to 16,300 kilometres).
Singapore Airlines plans to deploy the aircraft on routes to North Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East.
Apart from its extensive use of composites and advanced technology, which will enhance operating efficiency, the 787 will enable Singapore Airlines to further its commitment to innovation and improvement in providing service, comfort and entertainment to customers.
The engines to power the aircraft will be selected at a later date.
Singapore Airlines will be able to fund the acquisitions by cash flow generated from airline operations.

From AFP news:

Singapore Airlines orders 20 Boeing 787-9s amid delays in A380 delivery UPDATE


- (Updating with details of funding, background on delays of A380
aircraft delivery)

SINGAPORE (XFN-ASIA) - Flag carrier Singapore Airlines Ltd said it has
signed a letter of intent (LOI) to buy 20 Boeing 787-9s valued at 4.52 bln usd
at current manufacturer catalogue prices amid continued delays in the delivery
of Airbus 380 jumbo passenger aircraft.

The deal contains an option to buy another 20 units of the same aircraft.
SIA said deliveries of the Boeing aircraft will be scheduled between early
2011 and mid-2013. The acquisitions will be funded by cash flow generated from
airline operations, it said.

The Boeing 787-9 -- the latest variant of the series known as the
Dreamliner -- can carry between 250-290 passengers with space for about 20 tons of cargo and has the longest range of 8,600-8,800 nautical miles of Boeing
aircraft on offer.

"Singapore Airlines plans to deploy the aircraft on routes to North Asia,
the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East," it said.

SIA said the engines for the aircraft will be selected at a later date.

Meanwhile, SIA had expressed disappointment over Airbus announcement of
further delays in deliveries of Airbus A380 jumbo passenger aircraft by 6-7
months, citing production issues.

The airline said that it is in discussions with Airbus about compensation
for the delays.

"We are disappointed with the news of further delays but will work with
Airbus to minimize the impact," a spokesman for SIA said.

"We still expect to receive our first A380 by the end of 2006, and this
delay will not impact SIAs status as First to Fly the A380," he added.

Airbus said that it is still on track to win certification for the aircraft
and deliver the first of the aircraft at the end of 2006, but only a maximum of
nine A380 aircraft can be delivered in 2007.

Compared to the initial targets, there will be delivery shortfalls of five
to nine aircraft in 2008, and around five aircraft in 2009, it added.
(1 usd = 1.59 sgd)

And they were so cocky just a couple of years ago led by John Leahy who seems silent now. Did pride and job support outdo business sense?

SIA A388 EGLL alternates?
 

This question came up, unanswered, on another forum, but someone on here is sure to know.

Given that very few airports are yet capable of accommodating the A380, what are SIA's alternates for Heathrow? Clearly they haven't needed to divert anywhere as yet, but if and when they did, where would it go ?

MTIA
Dave

Read somewhere that it is Amsterdam and/or CDG.