Singapore Airlines starts Boeing 737 flights as SilkAir is wound down

Singapore Airlines will begin taking over the fleet and routes of regional arm SilkAir as its smaller sibling is wound down over the coming 12 months.

Nine of SilkAir's Boeing 737-800 jets, redressed in the familiar Singapore Airlines livery, will be darting around Asia from March, starting with Phuket and Brunei.

The Boeing 737 is now part of Singapore Airlines' fleet.

Those aircraft will sport SilkAir's current 12 business class recliners, albeit with fresh upholstery.

SQ's first Boeing 737 jets will sport this business class recliner rather than a fully-flat bed.

The newer lie-flat Vantage seats remain slated for the SilkAir Singapore Airlines Boeing 737 MAX jets, which are currently grounded, although many countries are now allowing airlines to resume 737 MAX flights based on approval from aviation regulators.

One of Boeing's promotional concept images for the Vantage seats which will be fitted to the 737 MAX jets.

Also missing from the ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800 jets is inflight Internet, although Singapore Airlines' KrisWorld entertainment can be streamed to your laptop, tablet or smartphone over WiFi.

SilkAir is expected to be fully subsumed into its parent by March 2022.

Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said the adoption of the Boeing 737s "will bring about a more comfortable and seamless travel experience for customers on our regional routes," while the integration of SilkAir "also allows us to be nimble and flexible in aircraft deployment, and supports our fleet and network growth strategy."

Competitor Cathay Pacific has also shuttered its own regional arm Cathay Dragon, with the Dragon's former routes to be divided between Cathay Pacific and low-cost HK Express.

Also read: Cathay Pacific's new Airbus A321neo business class seat

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.