Singapore Airlines' next Airbus A350 routes: Milan, Barcelona, Sao Paulo?
By David Flynn, November 25 2015
Singapore Airlines could soon announce Milan, Barcelona and Sao Paulo as the newest additions to its Airbus A350 network map for late 2016.
Earlier this week, the airline removed the ability to book first class travel from Milan and Barcelona on selected days as of September 2016, and Sao Paulo from October 2016.
Those three cities are currently served by SQ's Boeing 777-300ER fleet, which feature a small first class cabin.
However, the Airbus A350 eschews first class for a 42-seat business class cabin at the pointy end of the plane – which may well indicate that Milan, Barcelona and Sao Paulo will join launch Amsterdam and Düsseldorf as the first five ports to see the airline's next-gen jet.
Read: Singapore Airlines says our new business class beats old first class
Approached for comment by Australian Business Traveller, a Singapore Airlines spokesman said "we are continually reviewing the aircraft used on specific routes across our network and are not in a position to make any announcement on future A350 destinations."
Singapore Airlines will take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in January 2016 and schedule short hops from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta through to April for the purposes of crew familiarisation with the all-new aircraft, before spreading its wings onto the 13 hour Singapore-Amsterdam route.
Düsseldorf will follow with three A350 flights a week from July 21, 2016.
The airline expects to have 11 Airbus A350s by years' end, out of a total of 63 orders.
The A350 would also give Singapore Airlines the “potential to open new routes, enhancing our network and further strengthening the Singapore hub" Singapore Airlines' SVP Marketing Planning, Ms Lee Wen Fen, told Australian Business Traveller during a briefing in Toulouse last month.
Singapore Airlines' Airbus A350 will carry 253 passengers split between business class, premium economy and economy, with identical business class (below) and economy as the airline's latest Boeing 777-300ER jets but a slightly revised premium economy design.
A Singapore Airlines executive has also indicated to Australian Business Traveller that later A350-900 deliveries could include a two-class version without premium economy and slated for medium-range flights where the ‘better than economy’ cabin has limited appeal.
Read more: Inside Singapore Airlines' all-new Airbus A350
The Singaporean flag-carrier will be the fifth airline to fly the A350 following Qatar Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Finnair and Brazil’s TAM (part of the newly-branded LATAM Airlines) in December, while Asian neighbour and competitor Cathay Pacific will collect the keys to its first A350 in February 2016.
However, Singapore Airlines' ultra long-range version of the A350 – dubbed the A350-900ULR, and due to take wing from 2018 on non-stop flights to Los Angeles and New York – will feature a new generation of business class seats which the airline says "are currently under development."
Also on Singapore Airlines' roadmap is a new raft of Airbus A380s from 2017, which will debut all-new first class suites.
Also read: Concept designs for new Singapore Airlines first, business class
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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.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
06 Sep 2012
Total posts 231
Hopefully Vancouver will be back on the cards!
British Airways - Executive Club
07 Sep 2012
Total posts 47
Oh yes please!! I've stopped taking *A because I cannot stand AC!
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 122
I reckon they should reduce SIN-BNE to double daily not thwice daily and use the a350 instead of the a330-300.
18 Nov 2011
Total posts 33
SQ needs to re structuring whole business as flying corporate & leisure travelers have changed in term of spending for very expensive surcharges. It is really beyond unreasonable for SQ & some airlines to impose high fuel surcharge in the current crude oil pricing. Just to redeem award seat with SQ cost more than commercial tickets with majority of full service airlines. This will become a case study for SQ management if they still want to position as one of the market leading airlines.
As SQ follows to cut most of F in new aircrafts as whole business structure must follow too to change to adapt & become relevant with current travel environment which price is very sensitive.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 258
I read about a month ago that BCN will get the A350 daily in 2016 (3x per week onwards to GRU and 4x per week from MXP). It piqued my interest because I'm flying out of BCN on SQ next year (though too early for the A350 sadly. Should have changed my flight to AMS!).
That, in addition to this weeks route update says to me that this is what's happening.
AKL will also receive the A350 on some flights, replacing the 77W.
Qantas
13 Jun 2015
Total posts 139
Boy oh boy wowee! This is fantastic news for Milan, Barcelona and São Paulo travelers!
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Dec 2014
Total posts 79
SQ has added Hong Kong to the list of A350-900XWB destinations ahead of the long-haul European flights. From 27APR16 to 08MAY16, the A350-900XWB will operate Singapore – Hong Kong route once a day, on SQ856/861 service.
SQ856 SIN0955 – 1355HKG 359 D
SQ861 HKG1540 – 1935SIN 359 D
Cheers
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