Early last week Singapore Airlines announced that it would maintain its skeleton scheduled passenger service of approximately 70 weekly flights to just 15 destinations throughout May 2020. By Friday last week the airline had decided that any ramp up of the schedules in June also seemed unlikely, and so extended the same passenger flying programme until 30th June 2020.
All the while Scoot was remaining tight-lipped about its own flights, with the published schedule for the low-cost carrier initially running until 7th May 2020.
This morning the airline revealed that it too would stick with the ‘new status quo’, replicating its April schedule through the whole of May 2020, but leaving June open to possible changes at this stage.
May schedule
Scoot’s passenger flight schedule for May 2020 will continue to offer three times weekly service to both Hong Kong and Perth, operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft in both cases.
| Scoot Flights Operating (1 – 31 May 2020) |
|||||||||
| Hong Kong (HKG) | |||||||||
| Flight | Route | Days | Acft | ||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
| TR980 | SIN – HKG | □ | ■ | □ | □ | ■ | □ | ■ | 789 |
| TR981 | HKG – SIN | □ | ■ | □ | □ | ■ | □ | ■ | 789 |
| Perth (PER) | |||||||||
| Flight | Route | Days | Acft | ||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
| TR8 | SIN – PER | □ | ■ | □ | □ | □ | □ | ■ | 789 |
| TR9 | PER – SIN | □ | ■ | □ | □ | □ | □ | ■ | 789 |
| TR16 | SIN – PER | □ | □ | □ | □ | ■ | □ | □ | 789 |
| TR17 | PER – SIN | □ | □ | □ | □ | ■ | □ | □ | 789 |
Currently Scoot is providing the group’s only passenger links to Hong Kong and Perth, while SIA continues to mount cargo-only flights to both cities.
Unlike Singapore Airlines and SilkAir, who have extended their flight schedules to 15 cities through to 30th June 2020, Scoot is leaving the door open for potential additional services from 1st June 2020.
What if your flight has been cancelled?
Scoot’s current travel waiver is applicable if you booked your flight on or before 15th March 2020 for travel between 23rd January 2020 and 30th June 2020.
There are two options to claim a refund:
- A 100% refund via the original method of payment, or
- A 120% refund in Scoot vouchers, valid for 12 months.
For a 100% refund to your original payment method, Scoot is advising of a wait of up to 14 weeks for processing.
“In view of the volume of requests to process, we will be doing so in batches. We ask for your understanding and patience whilst we get to your file.” Scoot
If you previously applied for a refund and opted for the voucher, this will be voided on processing of the cash refund should you now opt for that method.
If you would rather receive the 120% refund in Scoot vouchers, note the following:
- You have 12 months to use these vouchers to make a new booking, for any travel period available on the Scoot website at the time of booking. You may use up to two vouchers per transaction.
- If you have previously received a 100% refund in the form of Scoot travel vouchers (i.e. before 9th April 2020), you will receive an additional voucher worth 20% of your original itinerary value.
Scoot’s Manage My Booking portal supports customers wishing to select these options online.
If you booked your Scoot flights through third-party booking channels or a travel agent, you should contact the relevant channel or agents for assistance.
Remember this Scoot voucher has a fixed value, dependent on the total price of your original itinerary, and there will be no point in complaining if your ticket is 50% more expensive when you come to rebook in future, even on the same route.
Full details of the latest Scoot COVID-19 travel waiver policy can be found here.
Scoot cargo flights
Scoot is continuing to operate eight weekly cargo-only flights using Boeing 787-9 aircraft to and from the following destinations, based on flights operating during the week commencing 20th April 2020:
- Guangzhou (TR100/101: Thu)
- Guangzhou (TR106/107: Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat)
- Nanjing (TR180/181: Wed, Fri, Sun)
Which Scoot planes are flying?
Only six of the airline’s 49 aircraft are currently active, based on fleet activity on 27th April 2020, which gives us an indication of which aircraft are stored (last flew > 14 days ago), compared to those that flew more recently.
| Last flew 14+ days ago | |
| Last flew < 14 days ago |
‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.
Airbus A320
All the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft are stored in Singapore or Alice Springs. None have flown any commercial services in the last two weeks, with only one aircraft, 9V-TAO, operating a Kuala Lumpur flight in the month of April.
 |
|||
| Aircraft | Location | Last flew | Days ago |
| 9V-TAN | ASP | 19 Mar 20 | 39 |
| 9V-TAO | SIN | 4 Apr 20 | 23 |
| 9V-TAQ | ASP | 15 Mar 20 | 43 |
| 9V-TAU | ASP | 22 Mar 20 | 36 |
| 9V-TAV | ASP | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-TAX | SIN | 13 Mar 20 | 45 |
| 9V-TAZ | SIN | 14 Mar 20 | 44 |
| 9V-TRC | SIN | 19 Mar 20 | 39 |
| 9V-TRD | SIN | 16 Mar 20 | 42 |
| 9V-TRE | SIN | 19 Mar 20 | 39 |
| 9V-TRH | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-TRI | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-TRK | SIN | 26 Mar 20 | 32 |
| 9V-TRL | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-TRM | SIN | 22 Mar 20 | 36 |
| 9V-TRN | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-TRO | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-TRP | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-TRQ | SIN | 15 Mar 20 | 43 |
| 9V-TRR | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-TRS | SIN | 18 Mar 20 | 40 |
| 9V-TRT | SIN | 18 Mar 20 | 40 |
| 9V-TRU | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-TRV | SIN | 16 Mar 20 | 42 |
| 9V-TRW | SIN | 17 Mar 20 | 41 |
| 9V-TRX | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
Airbus A320neo
Scoot currently has three Airbus A320neo aircraft in its fleet, all of which stopped flying in late March 2020 and are stored at Changi.
 |
|||
| Aircraft | Location | Last flew | Days ago |
| 9V-TNA | SIN | 19 Mar 20 | 39 |
| 9V-TNB | SIN | 17 Mar 20 | 41 |
| 9V-TNC | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
Boeing 787-8
The 10-strong Boeing 787-8 fleet has been parked up at Changi since late March 2020.
 |
|||
| Aircraft | Location | Last flew | Days ago |
| 9V-OFA | SIN | 10 Mar 20 | 48 |
| 9V-OFB | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-OFC | SIN | 8 Mar 20 | 50 |
| 9V-OFD | SIN | 18 Mar 20 | 40 |
| 9V-OFE | SIN | 22 Mar 20 | 36 |
| 9V-OFG | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-OFH | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-OFI | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-OFJ | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-OFK | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
Boeing 787-9
Scoot is keeping six of its 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft active during this period, based on flying activity over the last few weeks.
 |
|||
| Aircraft | Location | Last flew | Days ago |
| 9V-OJA | SIN | 24 Apr 20 | 3 |
| 9V-OJB | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-OJC | SIN | 26 Apr 20 | 1 |
| 9V-OJD | SIN | 21 Mar 20 | 37 |
| 9V-OJE | SIN | 20 Mar 20 | 38 |
| 9V-OJF | SIN | 23 Apr 20 | 4 |
| 9V-OJG | SIN | 3 Apr 20 | 24 |
| 9V-OJH | SIN | 26 Apr 20 | 1 |
| 9V-OJI | SIN | 24 Apr 20 | 3 |
| 9V-OJJ | SIN | 26 Apr 20 | 1 |
Keeping the Boeing 787-9s flying likely makes the most sense for the airline in view of its 25%+ superior underfloor cargo capacity compared to the Boeing 787-8s:
- Boeing 787-8 cargo capacity: 136.7 cu m / 28 LD3 containers
- Boeing 787-9 cargo capacity: 172.5 cu m / 36 LD3 containers
Summary
Skeleton flight schedules from the three SIA Group airlines are sadly becoming the norm to report lately, with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of letting up anytime soon.
One glimmer of hope is that Scoot has extended its current schedule only to 31st May 2020, while SIA and SilkAir have resigned themselves to their current networks until at least 30th June 2020.
With the latest circuit breaker extension in Singapore potentially set to be relaxed after 1st June 2020, let’s hope that Scoot can at least begin to widen its network at some point that month.