Singapore Airlines brings Airbus A350s onto Adelaide-Singapore flights
By Chris C., September 6 2018
Singapore Airlines will upgrade its Adelaide flights to the Airbus A350-900 from December, bringing with it an all-new 'regional' business class seat for the South Australian capital.
From December 18 2018, the airline's daily SQ278/SQ279 service will switch from the current Airbus A330 – with angled-flat business class seats in a 2-2-2 layout...
... to SQ's newest 'medium-haul' Airbus A350 jets, with seats mirroring those already flying to Perth aboard Singapore Airlines' regional Boeing 787-10s.
AusBT review: Singapore Airlines' new regional business class
Notably, these are different to what you'll find on SQ's 'long-haul' Airbus A350s, which currently serve Brisbane among other destinations, but still provide travellers with fully-flat beds in a 1-2-1 layout...
... guaranteeing direct aisle access from every seat:
The Airbus A350 also introduces inflight WiFi to the Adelaide-Singapore route, a feature not available on the airline's Airbus A330s, although these medium-haul A350s don't offer premium economy.
Adelaide will the world's first destination served by Singapore Airlines' medium-haul Airbus A350s, although the carrier also plans to bring the aircraft to Brisbane in 2019.
WIth four daily Singapore Airlines flights between Brisbane and The Lion City, the Queensland capital currently sees three of those departures served by the airline's 'long-haul' Airbus A350s, and the fourth generally by a Boeing 777 with Airbus A380-like seating.
It's not yet known which of these four daily flights will sport the new medium-haul A350 – whether it'll take over from the older two-class Boeing 777, or replace one of the existing Airbus A350 services to remove premium economy – and a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that this is still being determined.
Singapore Airlines will also take delivery of another version of the Airbus A350 in October, the A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range), which will be used to resume non-stop flights between Singapore and Newark (New York), as a two-class service offering business class and premium economy only: no first class, and no economy.
Adelaide's aircraft swap follows the introduction of the airline's lauded Book the Cook service on flights from the City of Churches in November 2017.
Read: Singapore Airlines' Book the Cook meals for Adelaide
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Dec 2014
Total posts 79
Any news whether this will be a regional offering without Premium? Cheers
14 Oct 2016
Total posts 12
Two class yes, 40 business and 263 economy.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Dec 2014
Total posts 79
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
31 Aug 2012
Total posts 213
Great news for Adelaide! The current A330 is just sooooo tired.
SilkAir - KrisFlyer
07 Dec 2017
Total posts 9
Following SQ for quite a while, I know that the new A350s, even if serving 'regional', will be installed with Premium (PST) class. This will also help to align return bookings for passengers who may want to enter & exit Australia from different eastern state airports (Adelaide is considered an "eastern state A/P") instead of needing to make 'mixed cabin' bookings which will force the passenger to accept fare conditions for the lowest cabin booked.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2431
Hi Soon, SQ's 'medium-haul' A350s will offer only business class and economy (two-class operation, with 40 business class and 263 economy seats). The airline has confirmed this, and it's reflected in booking systems and seat maps. This also mirrors the setup on SQ's regional Boeing 787-10s, which are also two-class.
Singapore Airlines does, however, offer premium economy on its 'long-haul' A350s (as currently fly to Brisbane, for example) and will also offer premium economy on the A350-900ULRs, as will fly to New York.
SilkAir - KrisFlyer
07 Dec 2017
Total posts 9
Thanks Chris for clarification
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 122
For BNE, in terms of operational reasons it would make sense to switch SQ265/266 (772) to an A350 regional. It would make it easier for SQ in terms of crew, ground handling etc. I think 265/266 and 255/236 should be both switched to regional and leave the early morning and late night flight with PE.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Nov 2014
Total posts 357
I also agree that the 772 is most likely to be substituted cuz 1. It doesn't have PE anyway
18 Oct 2015
Total posts 1
Any chance SQ might review its ADL SIN rotation times, especially the connections to UK & Europe & layover time following SQ278?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Sep 2018
Total posts 153
When BNE does get this, would this be an improved product on the long haul product or would you recommend going with other airlines like QF?
08 May 2018
Total posts 19
So these will be the regional A350s (regional Biz class?)
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Dec 2014
Total posts 79
If my memory serves me correct the seats in Economy will be similar to those on the 787-10 designed and manufactured by Recaro. They'll offer an ergonomically designed contour backrest with a six-way adjustable headrest and foldable wings.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2015
Total posts 54
So BNE is set to get shafted again.
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 122
They won’t replace all flights. There will probs be 2 regionals and 2 normal. PE does quite well at BNE
Etihad - Etihad Guest
06 Apr 2012
Total posts 125
Singapore Airlines website is showing SQ245/246 as the only remaining service offering Premium Economy in 2019. Better than nothing I guess.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2015
Total posts 54
Yes, it does appear that way atm and SQ246 provides almost zero connectivity onto European services except possibly the day time flight to LHR or a ~7hour layover for the day time FRA flight. Granted SQ245 connects OK for the early AM arrivals from Europe into SIN and then onto BNE.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 349
The sole remaining 772 out of BNE would probably be the only return pair that would be replaced with the regional 359 at this point.
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
16 Jun 2017
Total posts 35
25 Oct 2017
Total posts 1
Singapore Airlines have won me with their offering of A350 out of BNE. Both SQ and QF used to fly the cramped A330, QF is still flying them but SQ now has a more comfortable ride with the A350, a nice plane. Regards GK
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 57
So this means that SQ will now be serving the 5 major Aussie capitals with their newer aircraft, and ADL no longer sticks out a sore thumb.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
31 Jan 2018
Total posts 2
Unfortunately this doesn’t change things for us. We are flying from Adelaide to Melbourne for our next trip (to Munich via Singapore) for two reasons - shorter layover time (3 hours compared to 8 hours) and we can select PE seats. So this new aircraft won’t be a deal breaker for us. We do however get to fly on the A350 for three of our four legs.
07 Sep 2018
Total posts 1
Am I missing something here? Last time I was at BNE I flew CI to AKL on a A359 (brilliant plane btw). I saw a SQ A359 a few gates down. Does it not regularly fly to BNE?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2015
Total posts 54
Currently 3 out of the 4 daily flights are on the A359
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 5
Well Perth still gets substandard planes
06 Dec 2017
Total posts 110
If only they could fix the timetables. The current schedules work out well for Asia bound holiday makers but are useless if connecting to the UK AND EUROPE. I was supposed to book SQ and LH to Budapest via Singapore and Frankfurt going over and coming home was to be SQ all the way from Munich via Singapore but the terrible connections made me book on Qatar Airways instead. I checked their schedules out by comparison 4 hours in Doha waiting and nonstop onwards plus an evening departure close to my bedtime and coming home about the same but leaving Munich via Doha in the Morning to be home in Adelaide next day 5:10pm.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Dec 2014
Total posts 79
06 Dec 2017
Total posts 110
I was really counting on the SQ277 coming home from Munich connecting off SQ327 through to Adelaide when looking at flights to Europe outbound to Budapest SQ/LH but 100%SQ home but it was not there. There are lots of people who don't want to be subjected to a Middle Eastern Carrier just to get home the next day as opposed to say two days later. Did they forget them. There was no way in hell I was going to fly Munich/Singapore/Perth and connect onto a SQ Codeshare operated by Virgin Australia onto Adelaide.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Dec 2014
Total posts 79
There are many in the same boat as you regarding this. Obviously SIA don't see enough patronage to permit a second flight year round, even at thrice weekly as they did several years ago. Pity. I've flown SQ276/277 several times. I do prefer the stopover in Singapore on return from Europe though after a good day's rest, but understand that there are others who prefer getting home asap. I can't give you numbers but would think they'd want around 80 percent loads to bring it back permanently. Anyone else know? Cheers
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