Virgin Australia partner Singapore Airlines is set to begin Airbus A380 flights to Beijing later this year.
From August 1 2014, the A380 will appear daily on SQ802 from Singapore, taking off at 8:30am and reaching Beijing at 2:40pm.
On the return, SQ807 is wheels-up at 4:35pm, touching down in the Lion City at 10:55pm.
Virgin Australia customers will be able to book these flights as VA5544 and VA5553, respectively – maximising the number of points earned on the journey, while doubling as ‘eligible sectors’ in Velocity Frequent Flyer.
Singapore Airlines’ two other daily Singapore-Bejing-Singapore flights will continue to be served by Boeing 777s.
Beijing is the second Chinese city to be served by an SQ A380, following Shanghai which was added to the superjumbo map in October last year.
Singapore Airlines also flies its A380s to Hong Kong, Frankfurt, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne (until October 25), Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo Narita and Zurich.
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Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
04 Dec 2013
Total posts 3
Great news on the A380s.
In relation to the following statement:
"Virgin Australia customers will be able to book these flights as VA5544 and VA5553, respectively – maximising the number of points earned on the journey, while doubling as ‘eligible sectors’ in Velocity Frequent Flyer"
I am not sure that of the additoinal benefits of booking directly through Virgin.
Aren't Veloicty Members also able to book flights direclty on SQ and nomiinate their Velocity Frequent Flyer Number to earn eligible sectors and miles for these flights?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 May 2012
Total posts 580
Booking under a VA number will allow one to accrue eligible VA sectors required for attaining/retaining Velocity Silver (2 VA sectors required), Gold (4) or Platinum (8) status.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 May 2012
Total posts 580
Singapore Airlines also flies the A380 into Shanghai Pudong (PVG).
Air China - Phoenix Miles
20 Dec 2012
Total posts 105
Overall frequencies will be reduced from 4 to 3.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
The fourth flight only runs twice-weekly anyway.
05 Jun 2012
Total posts 31
I thought SQ803 ran a bit more frequently than that, either daily or near daily.
I'm rather dissapointed that SQ803 has been cancelled (including a flight I have already booked for September). Its departure time of 1:15 am was very convient for people such as myself who are connecting from other cities in China and the A333 was always pretty full when I flew it. The early monrning flight means overnighting in PEK and SQ807 means wasting most of the day. There might be glamour in flying the A380 (I'm certianly a fan!) but this feels like a reduction in service to me.
Air China - Phoenix Miles
20 Dec 2012
Total posts 105
Book SQ825 PVG-SIN next time.
It leaves Shanghai at 0:25 and is operated by A380.
05 Jun 2012
Total posts 31
Will be on it next month, actually. Haven't been to PVG for a while, so that'll be fun. I live in Harbin so PEK is still more convinent for me, though (Unless SQ wants to start flying to HRB, wink, wink!).
Will also give kudos to SQ customer staff in their Beijing call centre who, with no fuss whatsoever, switched me over to SQ801, therefore meaning that I don't have to overnight in SIN. Well done!
Air China - Phoenix Miles
20 Dec 2012
Total posts 105
I think lots of people in Northeast China make transfer in Tokyo or Seoul, which are more transfer friendly than PEK.
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 542
I hate how the scheduling of the A380 is not suitable for Chinese leisure travellers wishing to visit the Merlion City - most travellers want to arrive in the morning or at early afternoon and depart at late afternoon or night, which isn't applicable for Chinese travellers on the A380. At least on the HKG route SQ 856 is suitable for Singaporean travellers and SQ 861 is suitable for Hong Kong travellers. Otherwise this is a great addition for both services and plane spotting at Beijing Airport.
26 May 2012
Total posts 149
Do we think the A380 service could be in response to Beijing travellers essentially boycotting MH?
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
03 Apr 2013
Total posts 37
It has certainly payed a role. In fact MH has scaled back their SYD-PEK operations from double daily to daily, SQ will naturally benefit from the reduced Beijing-South East Asia capacity.
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
03 Apr 2013
Total posts 37
*I meant KUL-PEK.
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