Singapore Airlines chief executive Chew Choon Seng was in a friendly and not over evasive mood at the Star Alliance traditional press free-for-all in Istanbul last week. After the event”s major press conference instead of a question and answer session the airline chiefs are left to mingle with the assembled media, essentially free of their PR protectors and other minions.
Singapore has orders for 10 Airbus A380 in a 490 passenger configuration. No firm date has been given for on line service, although October 2007 has been suggested for a single aircraft with four more following during 2008. Mr Seng ruled out the new Boeing 747-8 as ordered by Lufthansa. He appeared to be enthusiastic regarding the Boeing 777-300ER. As things stand SIA will continue as the world”s largest operator of Boeing”s ”big twin” with a future fleet size of 77 aircraft based on current orders. "The Boeing 777, in 300ER configuration, would perhaps be an alternative to A380s," he said.
By the end of the year the airline would have taken delivery of six 777-300ERs featuring new, very wide, first and business class seats eventually destined to go in the A380. The aircraft has entered commercial service on the Paris and Hong Kong routes and Singapore ” Milan ” Barcelona from 20 December. Deployment to Zurich, Seoul and San Francisco will follow in January, and Frankfurt in May 2007.