Singapore Airlines (Singapore) and Air New Zealand (Auckland) have agreed to form an alliance enabling Air New Zealand to fly the Auckland-Singapore route again and Singapore Airlines to operate the Airbus A380 to New Zealand for the first time.
The A380 would be operated daily by Singapore Airlines between Singapore and Auckland, progressively replacing an existing daily service with the smaller Boeingย 777-300 ER. Air New Zealand would launch daily services between Auckland and Singapore using newly refitted Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft, taking over five flights currently operated by Singapore Airlines and adding two more weekly flights, increasing the frequency to daily.
Subject to regulatory approvals, the carriers wouldย aim to boost their existing capacity between Singapore and New Zealand by up to 30% year round over time.
Singapore Airlinesโ daily Singapore-Christchurch service would continue as part of the alliance.
The proposed alliance would enable Air New Zealand passengers to access codeshare travel on the Singapore Airlines network to the United Kingdom, Europe, South East Asia and Africa, as well as on the network of its regional subsidiary airline, SilkAir. Singapore Airlinesโ customers would be able to access codeshare travel across the Air New Zealand domestic network and to selected international destinations.
The alliance would see Air New Zealandโs โNZโ code return to Singapore Airlinesโ network for the first time since 2007. Air New Zealand last operated to Singapore in 2006.
The parties are seeking approval for the alliance from the Competition Commission of Singapore and the New Zealand Minister of Transport.ย ย Pending approval, flights could commence as early as December 2014.
Top Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380-841 9V-SKR (msn 082) gracefully climbs away from the runway at Zurich.
Singapore Airlines:ย
Air New Zealand:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-219 ER ZK-OKA (msn 29404) arrives at London (Heathrow).
Nok Air (Nok Airlines Public Company Limited) (Bangkok-Don Mueang) and Scoot (subsidiary of Singapore Airlines) (Singapore) on December 13, 2013 signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to start a new low-fare airline named NokScoot Company Limited. The MOU is subject to final negotiations and approval process.
Nok will hold 51 percent of the shares and Scoot will control the other 49 percent. Nok means “bird” in the Thai language.
The objective of the proposed airline is to operate a low-cost airline with wide-body aircraft on medium and long-hail international routes.
Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Nok Air’s colorful former Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS HS-DBD (msn 33821) arrives at the downtown Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok.
Nok Air (see all of the colorful “bird” liveries):ย
Scott:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Micheil Keegan/AirlinersGallery.com. Will the Scoot brand go away of this temporary agreement is finalized? Scoot’sย Boeing 777-212 ER 9V-OTA (msn 28507) rotates at Sydney Mascot.
Current Nok Air routes operated with Boeing 737-800s:
Current Scoot routes operated with Boeing 777-200s. Scoot will soon be adding Boeing 787-9s. Hong Kong was added on November 15, 2013, its 12th destination.
Singapore Airlines (Singapore) last night (November 23) ended the world’s longest nonstop air route (9,506 miles, 19 hours) when it ended nonstop Singapore-Newark service. Previously the airline ended Los Angeles-Singapore nonstop service on October 22.
Singapore was the first to operate the worldโs longest nonstop commercial flight between Singapore and Los Angeles in February 2004 on the Airbus A340-500, and then surpassing the record (in terms of distance) later that year with the nonstop service to Newark in June 2004.
Singapore Airlines is retiring its long range Airbus A340-500s. Five were operated on the two long-range routes to both Los Angeles and Newark.
Read the full report from the Star-Ledger via nj.com: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-541 9V-SGE (msn 563) exits the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.
Singapore Airlines (Singapore) and the Tata Group of India are coming to together to form a new full service Indian airline based in Delhi. Tata Sons will control 51 percent of the shares and Singapore the other 49 percent. The two entities will invest $100 million together according to this report by Reuters. Tata is the largest business group in India. Previously Tata in February announced a partnership with AirAsia (Kuala Lumpur) to form a new low-cost carrier based in Chennai, India.
Singapore Airlines (Singapore) has unveiled its next generationย First, Business and Economy Class seats, together with the next generation KrisWorld, according to the airline “the worldโs most advanced in-flight entertainment system”. The airline issued this statement:
Customers will soon be able to experience the next generationย KrisWorld, the worldโs most advanced in-flight entertainmentย system to date, onย new Boeing 777-300 ERs entering Singapore Airlinesโ fleet in the coming months.
The newย KrisWorld, based on a Panasonic Avionics hardware platform, will initially be available onย eight new Boeing 777-300 ERs that will begin to enter service from September 2013. It will also be introduced on new Airbus A350s scheduled for delivery in the coming years, in line with the terms of an agreement valued at nearly $400 million that was signed with Panasonic Avionics in 2012. Existingย KrisWorldย systems on other aircraft already in service may also be retrofitted with the new system.
Singapore Airlines agreed last year to be the launch customer for Panasonic Avionicsโ next-generation eX3 system for the Airbus A350s, as well as the first to offer the eX3 experience on the Boeing 777-300ERs. The airline will also be the first to offer Panasonicโs Global Communications Suite on the A350s, with the capability to provide broadband Internet services to passenger devices and the seat-back, as well as mobile phone services.
The newย KrisWorldย features larger LCD screens andย video touch-screen handsetsย across all classes. LCD screens will increase from 23 to 24 inches in First Class, 15.4 to 18 inches in Business Class and 10.6 to 11.1 inches in Economy Class. Economy Class customers will also be able to browse through the more than 1,000 on-demand entertainment options by swiping or scrolling through the touch-screen monitor.
Working with renowned design company Massive Interactive, Singapore Airlines has seamlessly integrated theย functionality of the video touch-screen handset into the core design of a new, innovativeย KrisWorldย user interface to ensure that navigating through menus and programmes is intuitive and user-friendly. Customers will be able to multi-task among the varied entertainment options available. For example, they may watch a movie, while at the same time use the handset to keep up to date with the latest news headlines or track the aircraftโs flight path. Alternatively, customers may use the handset as a touchscreen trackpad to navigateย KrisWorld.ย New features such asย ย โQuick Searchโ, where a flickย of the handset pulls up a playlist of entertainment choices, are also being introduced.
Leveraging on technology, a number of thoughtful features are being incorporated intoย KrisWorldย with customersโ convenience in mind. For example, the Notification Centre on theย KrisWorldย dashboard contains information relevant to the flight, reducing the number of onboard announcements, thereby allowing customers to watch movies uninterrupted.
Customers will also experience greater personalisation, withย KrisWorldย providing content recommendations based on passengersโ preferences. They may also rate movies and see how others have rated these.
Twenty-oneย aircraft have been equipped to date and the service will be rolled out to the rest of the Airlineโs Airbus A380-800 and Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft by the end of next year.ย Inflight connectivity service on the 21 aircraft is provided by OnAir. For the new 777-300 ERs entering the fleet over the next two years, the service will be provided by Panasonic Avionics.
Entertainment โ movies, TV, music, radio channels
More than 230 movies, over 340 TV programmes, 22 hosted radio programmes and more than 790 CDs.
Games
In addition to more than 80 interactive games including high performance 3D games, popular touch-screen games are now available.
Applications
New to KrisWorld:ย
Travel Forum: Introducing a social networking element to KrisWorld, customers can now share their travel experiences, tips and recommendations with fellow passengers.
DK Travel Guides: comprehensive guides to major cities in the world.
Live News: Customers can stay connected to the happenings on the ground with news from Channel NewsAsia
Flight Path iXplor 2: Improved flight path informationย ย allowing customers to view key points of interests, for example, the Taj Mahal, when they are flying over it.ย
Copyright Photos: Singapore Airlines. The airline hasย launched its next generation First, Business and Economy Class seats, together with the next generation KrisWorld, the worldโs most advanced in-flight entertainment system. They will be available on new Boeing 777-300 ERs over the next two years. Customers travelling on select flights between Singapore and London will be the first to experience the new products from September 2013.
Singapore Airlines:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-312 ER 9V-SWJ 9msn 34575) arrives back at the SIN hub.
Singapore Airlines (Singapore)ย has finalized its order for 30 additional Airbus A350-900s, plus options for a further 20 aircraft. The agreement firms up a commitment announced last month. Under the terms of the agreement, Singapore Airlines will be able to select either the baseline A350-900 or the larger A350-1000 when exercising the options.
This is the third order from Singapore Airlines for the A350-900. The deal sees the carrierโs total firm orders for the all-new aircraft increase to 70, plus 20 options. Singapore Airlines will operate the A350-900 on long haul and regional services.
Boeing (Chicago) announced today at the 2013ย Paris Airshowย that it has launched the 787-10 Dreamliner, the third member of the super-efficient 787 family. Commitments for 102 airplanes from five customers across Europe, Asia and North America provide a strong foundation to support development and production of the newest Dreamliner.
Customer launch commitments for the 787-10 includeย Air Lease Corporation, with 30 airplanes; GE Capital Aviation Services, with 10; International Airlines Group /ย British Airways, with 12 subject to shareholder approval; Singapore Airlines, with 30 and United Airlines, with 20 airplanes.
The new 787-10 will fly up to 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 km) โ covering more than 90 percent of the world’s twin-aisle routes โ with seating for 300-330 passengers, depending on an airline’s configuration choices. The second member of the family, the 787-9, is in final assembly in Everett, Wash., and is set to make its first flight later this year.
“The 787-10 Dreamliner will be the most-efficient jetliner in history. The airplane’s operating economics are unmatched and it has all the incredible passenger-pleasing features that set the 787 family apart as truly special,” saidย Boeing Commercial Airplanesย President and CEO Ray Conner. “The 787-10 is 25 percent more efficient than airplanes of its size today and more than 10 percent better than anything being offered by the competition for the future.”
Design of the 787-10 has already started atย Boeing, and international partners will be involved in detailed design in the months ahead. Final assembly and flight test of the 787-10 are set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2018.
“Our ongoing investment in the 787 family is well-founded,” said Conner.ย “With the 787-10, we’ve designed an exceptional airplane supported by an efficient and integrated production system that can meet increasing demands and create new opportunities for us. Our team and our customers are excited about growing the product line and expanding our presence with this family of airplanes.”
The 787 family’s unique interior offers passengers technologies that make their flights more enjoyable, including large, dimmable windows; cleaner air; higher humidity; lower cabin altitude; bigger stowage bins; soothing LED lighting and a smoother ride. The 787-10 will share a common type rating not only with the 787-8 and 787-9 but also with the popularย Boeingย 777, giving airlines additional flexibility in scheduling and training flight crews.
United Airlines today increased its 787 Dreamliner order to 65 aircraft (including six previously delivered aircraft) with an order for 20 787-10s.Unitedย is theย North Americanย launch customer for the 787-10 and it expects delivery of its first aircraft in 2018. United ordered 10 incremental 787-10 aircraft and will convert 10 existing 787s on order to 787-10s, enabling theย airlineย to further modernize its international widebody fleet by replacing older, less efficient aircraft. The advanced technology and composite construction of the 787 reduce fuel burn and carbon emissions, while providing a superior customer experience.
United is currently the only U.S. airline to operate the 787. United has six new 787-8 aircraft in service and had previous orders for an additional 49 Dreamliners consisting of both the -8 and -9 variants. The 787-10 is a stretched version of the 787-9 and will offer the lowest fuel burn per seat of any aircraft in its size category. The 787 offers up to 20 percent better fuel efficiency per seat than similarly sized aircraft, due in part to the more than 50 percent composite makeup of its structure. The 787 also boasts an enhanced inflight experience including larger windows, larger overhead bins and lower cabin altitude with enhanced ventilation systems that reduce the effects of jet lag.
The 787-10 order is the latest in United’s commitment to improve the efficiency of its fleet. In July of last year, United announced a narrowbody order for 100ย Boeing 737ย MAX 9 aircraft and 50 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. In addition, United has an order for 25 Airbus A350 aircraft. Theย airlineย is also modernizing itsย United Expressย fleet by adding 70 76-seat Embraer aircraft that will be operated by United Express regional partners.
Singapore Airlines (Singapore) has placed a firm order with both Airbus and a tentative order with Boeing according to Reuters. The airline has ordered 30 additional Airbus A350-900s. Some of the A350-900s can be converted to the larger A350-1000s. Additionally Singapore has tentatively placed an order for 30 stretched Boeing 787s. Boeing has not yet made a decision to launch this new variant.
Singapore Airlines (Singapore) has firmed up an order for five additional A380s and 20 A350-900s. The deal was completed in 2012 and follows an agreement in October 2012.
Singapore Airlines has placed three consecutive orders for the A380, making it the second largest customer of the A380, and now has 19 aircraft in service. In the mid-size category, the new A350 XWB order sees the airline double its backlog for the all-new aircraft to 40. The A350-900s will be used by the airline on both medium and long haul routes.
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl. Airbus A380-841 9V-SKM (msn 065) lands at Zurich.
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) is reportedly in discussions with Singapore Airlines (Singapore) to acquire their 49 percent share in Virgin Atlantic Airways (London). If successful, Delta’s European partners, namely Air France-KLM, could then buy some of Sir Richard Branson’s shares to take control of the UK company according to this report by the Financial Times.
Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. If completed, it would be a bold move by SkyTeam to further increase its presence at slot-controlled Heathrow Airport in London against the Oneworld alliance. Boeing 737-832 N3755D (msn 29627) climbs away from Los Angeles International Airport.
Delta Air Lines:ย
Virgin Atlantic Airways:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Is the Virgin Atlantic brand in danger of becoming history? Boeing 747-41R G-VROC (msn 32746) arrives at New York (JFK) in the updated 2010 motif.
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