Singapore Airlines Fleet: March 2021

This month saw Singapore Airlines mark the start of a new era as far as its aircraft fleet is concerned, with the introduction of its first narrow-body (single-aisle) passenger aircraft in over 30 years. That came about as the first four of nine ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800s entered service with the mainline division.

An additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft also returned to Changi from Alice Springs, meaning half that fleet has now been brought home to undergo the long-awaited cabin refits, including flat-bed seats in Business Class.

Meanwhile the wide-body fleet renewal process continued, with a pair of Boeing 777-300s leaving, another A330 set for departure to pastures new, and a trio of brand new Airbus A350 Regionals looking primed for imminent delivery.

Fleet totals

Here are the Singapore Airlines passenger fleet totals at 28th March 2021.

	CAAS Database:	134
	Recently deregistered: Recently delivered: For disposal:	-1 +1 -24
	In Service:	110
	In maintenance / stored:	-30
	Active:	80

The official registered aircraft data in combination with recent retirement announcements and analysis of actual flight movements over the last few weeks allows us to determine the actual ‘in service’ fleet (available to the airline) of 110 planes at 28th March 2021, 80 of which were recently active.

  Click here to see the official CAAS list of registered aircraft in Singapore at 28th February 2021.

SIA Passenger Fleet at 28th March 2021

This table shows the Singapore Airlines fleet including how many of each aircraft type are legally registered (‘Registered’), available to the airline (‘In Service’) and currently operating revenue passenger or cargo flights (‘Active’).

Type	Registered	In Service	Active
A330-300	4	0	0
A350-900	26	26	26
A350-900 Regional	19	19	17
A350-900 ULR	7	7	7
A380-800 v1	6	0	0
A380-800 v2	4	3	0
A380-800 v3	9	9	0
737-800	4	4	4
777-200	8	0	0
777-200ER	3	0	0
777-300	2	0	0
777-300ER	27	27	11
787-10	15	15	15
Total	134	110	80

Following confirmation that all the airline’s remaining Airbus A330s, Boeing 777-200s, Boeing 777-200ERs and Boeing 777-300s will not be returning to the fleet after COVID-19, in addition to seven older Airbus A380s, we have removed these from the ‘In Service’ column.

This reflects a future fleet of 110 aircraft, plus future near-term deliveries of Airbus A350s and Boeing 787-10s.

There will also be an unknown number of Boeing 737 MAX 8s joining the fleet in 2021, as the SilkAir merger enters its final stage, while five more Boeing 737-800s will be temporarily added.

Fleet activity

Four aircraft types are currently in service with the airline, as shown in the table below outlining the number in use at each of our monthly fleet update ‘snapshots’, from April 2020 to date.

SIA fleet activity timeline (2020)
	A350			B773	B77W	B787	Total
	LH	R	ULR
Apr	16	10	—	4	18	15	63
May	14	9	—	3	18	15	59
Jun	21	12	—	2	11	15	61
Aug	23	14	—	1	4	14	56
Sep	24	13	—	1	7	12	57
Oct	24	13	—	1	4	12	54
Nov	25	17	—	—	10	14	66
Dec	26	18	3	—	9	14	70

SIA fleet activity timeline (2021)
	A350			B738	B77W	B787	Total
	LH	R	ULR
Jan	26	18	6	—	9	15	74
Feb	25	17	6	—	9	15	72
Mar	26	17	7	4	11	15	80

Almost all Airbus A350s and Boeing 787-10s remain in consistent use, alongside the four recent Boeing 737-800 deliveries, while the deployment of Boeing 777-300ERs has risen to around a 40% of that fleet.

Overall the airline was actively using a total of 80 aircraft in March 2021, its highest total since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Here’s a graphical look at the active vs. stored fleet.

Here’s a look at how busy each aircraft fleet has been, based on active aircraft over the seven-day period from 21st March to 27th March 2021.

Type	Total flights per week	Average per active aircraft
		Flights per week	Daily utilisation
A350	191	8	12.1h
A350 R	189	11	9.2h
A350 ULR	191	5	11.4h
737-800	26	7	2.1h
777-300ER	86	8	2.7h
787-10	187	12	9.8h

Airbus A350s are the current ‘workhorses’ in terms of daily flying hours, though the Boeing 787s are operating the highest number of flights per aircraft per week.

Boeing 737s are back in the SIA fleet

Three Boeing 737-800s were formally registered to Singapore Airlines as of 28th February 2021:

• 9V-MGA
• 9V-MGB
• 9V-MGD

9V-MGA entered service first, on 4th March, followed by 9V-MGD on 7th March and 9V-MGB on 11th March, all three of which made their inaugural passenger flights with SIA to and from Phuket.

On 17th March, 9V-MGE also joined the fleet as the fourth Boeing 737-800, launching flights to and from Phnom Penh.

The current route network for the Boeing 737-800s covers four cities, with six more set to join over the coming months and further announcements likely.

Recently confirmed additions include a daily Kuala Lumpur service from mid-April, supplementing a daily Boeing 777-300ER flight on the route, plus Penang flights from the start of the northern winter season.

There is also the potential for frequency increases on the Phuket route, following news that the resort island plans to open for tourism from July 2021.

Ultimately nine Boeing 737-800 aircraft will be joining Singapore Airlines from SilkAir, with the others set for disposal as the regional wing is gradually wound up in the months ahead.

SilkAir Boeing 737-800 aircraft moving to SIA

Registration	Age (years)	Current Livery	Status
9V-MGA	7.1		Transferred to SIA
9V-MGB	7.0		Transferred to SIA
9V-MGC	6.9		Due in SIA
9V-MGD	6.8		Transferred to SIA
9V-MGE	6.6		Transferred to SIA
9V-MGF	6.5		For sale
9V-MGG	6.4		For sale
9V-MGH	6.4		For sale
9V-MGI	6.1		For sale
9V-MGJ	5.9		For sale
9V-MGK	5.8		Due in SIA
9V-MGL	5.6		Due in SIA
9V-MGM	5.5		Due in SIA
9V-MGN	5.5		Due in SIA
9V-MGO	4.9		For disposal
9V-MGP	4.8		For sale
9V-MGQ	4.4		For sale

The SIA Group has put seven of the eight aircraft set for disposal on the market recently through UK-based agent Skytech-AIC, as listed in the table above.

The aircraft are listed as available from July 2021, suggesting the SilkAir merger is set to be completed soon.

Another 737 MAX has been brought home

Just this week the third of six SilkAir Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has been returned to Singapore from storage in Alice Springs.

SIA recently confirmed that these aircraft are now undergoing their cabin refits in the hangar at Changi, in preparation for their return to service once local regulators approve their recertification.

The MAXs are expected to eventually replace SIA’s Boeing 737-800s, for a consistent product and service offering across the narrow-body and wide-body fleets.

SIA Boeing 737 MAX 8 Fleet

Registration	Delivered	Last commercial flight	Current Location
9V-MBA	1 Oct 2017 (age 3.5 yrs)	11 Mar 2019 MI985 WUH-SIN	SIN
9V-MBB	7 Nov 2017 (age 3.4 yrs)	11 Mar 2019 MI755 HKT-SIN	ASP
9V-MBC	19 Dec 2017 (age 3.3 yrs)	10 Mar 2019 MI985 WUH-SIN	SIN
9V-MBD	13 Apr 2018 (age 3.0 yrs)	12 Mar 2019 MI413 KTM-SIN	ASP
9V-MBE	4 May 2018 (age 2.9 yrs)	11 Mar 2019 MI971 CKG-SIN	ASP
9V-MBF	7 Mar 2019 (age 2.1 yrs)	11 Mar 2019 MI423 BLR-SIN	SIN

No timescale has yet been stated for the 737 MAX service re-entry in Singapore.

Airbus A330s

All four Airbus A330s remaining in the fleet have left service for return to their respective leasing companies, a process that should finish in Q3 2021.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SSF	SIN	13 Mar 20	380
9V-SSG	SIN	23 Mar 20	370
9V-SSH	SIN	28 Mar 20	365
9V-SSI	SIN	25 Nov 19	489

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

9V-SSF operated a test flight in all-white livery on 18th March and should be next to leave. The aircraft has no known onward operator.

9V-STC, which had become C-GHKC with Air Canada in late December 2020, finally left Singapore on 19th March. It flew from Changi to Montreal, via Tokyo.

9V-SSI has yet to make a test flight appearance after sustaining tail damage during a landing incident at Yangon in November 2019. The aircraft was ferried empty to Singapore over 15 months ago in mid-December 2019, but has not flown since.

Airbus A350s

The Airbus A350-900 long-haul fleet was at full strength in March 2021, with an operating fleet of 26.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SMA	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMB	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMC	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMD	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SME	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMF	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMG	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMH	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMI	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMJ	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMK	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SML	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMM	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMN	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMO	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMP	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMQ	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMR	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMS	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMT	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMU	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SMV	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMW	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SMY	SIN	26 Mar 21	2
9V-SMZ	SIN	26 Mar 21	2
9V-SJA	SIN	27 Mar 21	1

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

There are currently two Airbus A350-900 Regional aircraft in storage or maintenance (9V-SHE and 9V-SHF), meaning 17 of this variant were flying recently.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SHA	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHB	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHC	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SHD	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SHE	SIN	10 Mar 21	18
9V-SHF	SIN	24 Jul 20	247
9V-SHG	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHH	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SHI	SIN	24 Mar 21	4
9V-SHJ	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHK	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHL	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHM	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHN	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHO	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHP	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SHQ	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SHR	SIN	26 Mar 21	2
9V-SHS	SIN	25 Mar 21	3

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

All of the airline’s Airbus A350-900 ULR aircraft are in service, covering daily San Francisco and New York JFK services.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SGA	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SGB	SIN	15 Mar 21	13
9V-SGC	SIN	24 Mar 21	4
9V-SGD	SIN	26 Mar 21	2
9V-SGE	SIN	26 Mar 21	2
9V-SGF	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SGG	SIN	25 Mar 21	3

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

Airbus A380s

Seven of the airline’s Airbus A380 aircraft are now in long-term storage at Alice Springs, with the other 12 aircraft stored at Changi.

No revenue flights with the A380s have been flown since March 2020, and they are not being used in the current schedule through 31st May 2021.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SKF	SIN	24 Mar 20	369
9V-SKG	SIN	25 Mar 20	368
9V-SKH	SIN	22 Mar 20	371
9V-SKI	SIN	20 Mar 20	373
9V-SKJ	SIN	20 Mar 20	373
9V-SKK	ASP	21 Mar 20	372
9V-SKL	ASP	27 Mar 20	366
9V-SKM	SIN	21 Mar 20	372
9V-SKN	SIN	15 Oct 19	530
9V-SKP	ASP	24 Mar 20	369
9V-SKQ	SIN	26 Mar 20	367
9V-SKR	SIN	19 Mar 20	374
9V-SKS	SIN	12 Mar 20	381
9V-SKT	ASP	18 Mar 20	375
9V-SKU	SIN	25 Mar 20	368
9V-SKV	SIN	28 Mar 20	365
9V-SKW	ASP	26 Mar 20	367
9V-SKY	ASP	27 Mar 20	366
9V-SKZ	ASP	30 Mar 20	363

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

There looks to be no imminent return for the superjumbo fleet, though SIA has confirmed 12 of the aircraft will be remaining under current plans for the post-COVID recovery, all to be fitted with new cabin products.

Boeing 737-800s

All four of the initial nine Boeing 737-800s moving across from SilkAir to Singapore Airlines are currently in service.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-MGA	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-MGB	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-MGD	SIN	26 Mar 21	2
9V-MGE	SIN	26 Mar 21	2

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

Boeing 777-200 / -200ER / -300s

In 2020 SIA inherited back a set of seven Boeing 777-200s it was leasing to the now-defunct NokScoot. These aircraft are now stored in Alice Springs, with one additional aircraft hibernating at Changi for a couple of years now.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SQJ	SIN	2 Aug 18	969
9V-SRF	ASP	30 Nov 19	484
9V-SRG	ASP	1 Feb 20	421
9V-SRH	ASP	23 Mar 20	370
9V-SRJ	ASP	7 Jun 20	294
9V-SRL	ASP	24 Mar 20	369
9V-SRP	ASP	24 Mar 20	369
9V-SRQ	ASP	15 Jun 20	286

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

Last flight and number of days shown reflects most recent passenger service with NokScoot in the case of SRF to SRQ. All these aircraft are for disposal.

Meanwhile all 3 of the airline’s Boeing 777-200ERs are stored in Alice Springs, and are confirmed as for disposal.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SVB	ASP	17 Mar 20	376
9V-SVC	ASP	19 Mar 20	374
9V-SVE	ASP	21 Mar 20	372

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

There has been some movement for the retired Boeing 777-300 (non-ER) fleet since the last update.

• 9V-SYJ was deregistered on 25th February, and is now N623BC with the Boeing Company. It departed Changi for Goodyear in the Arizona desert on 4th March.
• 9V-SYL was deregistered on 3rd March, and is now N638BC with the Boeing Company. It departed Changi for Goodyear on 11th March.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SYF	SIN	10 Apr 20	352
9V-SYH	SIN	5 May 20	327

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

This leaves only two Boeing 777-300 aircraft still to leave the fleet.

Boeing 777-300ERs

11 of SIA’s 27 Boeing 777-300ERs were active over the last two weeks, with the other 16 stored at Changi.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SWA	SIN	29 Mar 20	364
9V-SWB	SIN	24 Mar 20	369
9V-SWD	SIN	19 Mar 20	374
9V-SWE	SIN	1 Feb 21	55
9V-SWF	SIN	28 Sep 20	181
9V-SWG	SIN	30 May 20	302
9V-SWH	SIN	23 Mar 21	5
9V-SWI	SIN	25 Mar 21	3
9V-SWJ	SIN	4 May 20	328
9V-SWK	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SWL	SIN	13 Mar 21	15
9V-SWM	SIN	13 Feb 21	43
9V-SWN	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SWO	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SWP	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SWQ	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SWR	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SWS	SIN	26 Mar 21	2
9V-SWT	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SWU	SIN	30 Apr 20	332
9V-SWV	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SWW	SIN	13 Jun 20	288
9V-SWY	SIN	5 Dec 20	113
9V-SWZ	SIN	27 Jun 20	274
9V-SNA	SIN	23 Jun 20	278
9V-SNB	SIN	16 Mar 20	377
9V-SNC	SIN	14 Jun 20	287

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

While the 777-300ER fleet is predominantly operating cargo-only flights, there are some passenger services to cities including Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, being sold as a two-cabin configuration (First Class and Premium Economy are not offered for sale).

Boeing 787-10s

All of SIA’s 15 Boeing 787-10s are currently active, flying a mixture of passenger and cargo-only flights.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SCA	SIN	23 Mar 21	5
9V-SCB	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCC	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SCD	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SCE	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCF	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCG	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCH	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCI	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCJ	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SCK	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCL	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SCM	SIN	27 Mar 21	1
9V-SCN	SIN	28 Mar 21	0
9V-SCO	SIN	28 Mar 21	0

‘Last flew’ dates relate to the aircraft’s last revenue passenger or cargo-only flight.

Alice Springs storage

26 Singapore Airlines Group aircraft remain in long-term storage at Alice Springs airport in Australia, where the hot, dry climate is far more conducive to preservation.

SIA Group aircraft stored in Alice Springs
Airline	Aircraft	Total
	Airbus A380	7
	Boeing 777-200	7
	Boeing 777-200ER	3
	Boeing 737 MAX 8	3
	Airbus A320	3
	Boeing 787-8	3

With the remaining three SilkAir Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft due to leave the Alice Springs storage facility in the coming months, it will be interesting to see if the SIA Group retains its parking spots at the airport, which could perhaps mean more mainline aircraft like Airbus A380s or Boeing 777s heading south for better defence against the elements.

Future aircraft deliveries

The latest SIA Group orders for fleet modernisation and replacement is as follows.

Additionally, Scoot has committed to taking 10 Airbus A321neo aircraft through leasing companies over the coming months, for a total of 16 such aircraft including its six firm orders.

Confirmed upcoming Airbus A350 deliveries for SIA include:

• A350 Regional (9V-SHT)
• A350 Regional (9V-SHU)
• A350 Regional (9V-SHV)
• A350 Long-Haul (9V-SJB)

This will increase the A350 Regional fleet to at least 22, though as you can see there is also another 3-class version in the mix, which will be the 27th such variant.

The three A350 Regional models (SHT, SHU and SHV) appear to be for imminent delivery. All three have completed their customer acceptance flights, so we expect them to be flown to Singapore in April.

Boeing 787 deliveries seem to be on hold for the time being.

Summary

March 2021 will go down in history for marking the return of narrow-body passenger aircraft in the Singapore Airlines fleet.

With 37 fuel-efficient Boeing 737 MAX aircraft set to join the carrier in the months and years ahead, it looks likely this strategy is set to stay even long after the ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800s have departed.

Fleet renewal plans continue, with Boeing 777-300s and Airbus A330s departing and brand new aircraft lining up to replace them. While this continues to be an expensive exercise for the group, it should give them a modern efficient fleet with the newest cabin products to respond to the COVID-19 recovery as it happens.

(Cover Photo: Plane’s Portrait Aviation Media / Malcolm Lu)