Singapore Airlines Fleet: June 2021

In June 2021 Singapore Airlines took delivery of another factory fresh Airbus A350 Long Haul aircraft, ahead of increased flying for the type in mid-July to Manchester and Rome, while also returning another pair of Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft from desert storage for long-awaited cabin refit work.

The demise of SilkAir, which operated its final passenger flight in early May 2021, has also meant SIA taking three further Boeing 737-800s onto its books, though these will not join the operating fleet and are currently for sale.

Overall the airline is now actively using 90 of its passenger aircraft, its highest total since COVID-19 decimated schedules, under a positive outlook with travel restrictions set to be relaxed as Singapore residents progressively become vaccinated against COVID-19 in the coming weeks and months.

Fleet totals

Here are the Singapore Airlines passenger fleet totals at 29th June 2021.

	CAAS Database:	150
	Recently delivered: Awaiting certification: For disposal:	+1 -6 -30
	In Service:	115
	In maintenance / stored:	-25
	Active:	90

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 115 planes at 29th June 2021, 90 of which were recently active.

  Click here to see the official CAAS list of registered aircraft in Singapore at 31st May 2021.

SIA Passenger Fleet at 29th June 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	3	0	0
A350-900	27	27	25
A350-900 Regional	22	22	22
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	12	9	9
737-8 MAX	6	0	0
777-200	8	0	0
777-200ER	3	0	0
777-300	2	0	0
777-300ER	27	23	12
787-10	15	15	15
Total	151	115	90

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 and four Boeing 777-300ERs.

These have removed these from the ‘In Service’ column.

Additionally, all currently registered Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, which are awaiting re-certification, are excluded from the ‘In Service’ column for the time being.

This reflects a future fleet of 115 aircraft, plus future near-term deliveries of Airbus A350s, Boeing 737-8 MAXs and Boeing 787-10s.

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
Apr	26	19	7	8	11	15	86
May	25	21	7	9	12	15	89
Jun	25	22	7	9	12	15	90

Almost all Airbus A350s and Boeing 787-10s remain in consistent use, alongside the nine recent Boeing 737-800 deliveries, while the deployment of Boeing 777-300ERs has risen to around half that fleet, now that we know only 23 of the aircraft will return to service.

Overall the airline was actively using a total of 90 aircraft in June 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 17th June 2021 to 23rd June 2021.

Type	Total flights per week	Average per active aircraft
		Flights per week	Daily utilisation
A350	191	8	11.5h
A350 R	252	12	9.5h
A350 ULR	30	4	10.5h
737-800	58	6	2.2h
777-300ER	144	12	8.2h
787-10	215	14	10.8h

Average fleet utilisation is similar by aircraft type compared to our May 2021 update, with the exception of the Boeing 777-300ER fleet, with each active aircraft now flying for 8 hours per day on average, up from 3 hours last month.

This is partly due to the relaunch of SQ11/12 Singapore – Tokyo – Los Angeles passenger flights using the type, which occupy 36 hours of flying time round-trip.

Airbus A350s continue to be the ‘workhorses’ in terms of daily flying hours per aircraft, though the Boeing 787s and A350 ULRs aren’t far off.

Another A350 Long Haul has been delivered

On Saturday 26th June 2021 the latest Airbus A350 Long Haul aircraft, 9V-SJB, was delivered brand new from Airbus to Changi Airport, bringing the A350 Long Haul fleet to 27.

This matches the Boeing 777-300ER’s record as the largest sub-fleet in the airline’s history with a single cabin configuration, and solidifies SIA’s position as the world’s largest Airbus A350 operator, with 56 of the type in its fleet.

Only 11 more A350s are due for delivery to the airline, two between now and March 2022 and the remaining nine in subsequent years.

Specific variants for the next pair of aircraft arriving in the current financial year have not yet been revealed.

Two more Boeing 737 MAX aircraft brought home

In our last update we reported on how SilkAir’s Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft stored in Alice Springs were being transferred to the mainline carrier.

In early July two more aircraft were relocated back to Changi in preparation for their cabin refit work, ahead of recertification by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

Here’s how the MAX fleet currently looks:

SIA Boeing 737-8 MAX Fleet

Registration	Age (years)	Current Livery	Current Location
9V-MBA	3.6		SIN
9V-MBB	3.5		ASP
9V-MBC	3.4		SIN
9V-MBD	3.1		SIN
9V-MBE	3.0		SIN
9V-MBF	2.2		SIN

In March Singapore Airlines confirmed that its Boeing 737-8 MAX cabin refit programme had commenced, starting with its first aircraft returned from Alice Springs (9V-MBA).

According to our sources a second aircraft, 9V-MBC, has now also had its refit completed, with the others inevitably following.

Aside from a repaint from SilkAir to SIA colours, the process also involves:

• Installation of flat-bed Thompson Vantage Business Class seats
• Installation of new Economy Class seats with seat-back entertainment systems
• The addition of Wi-Fi connectivity

Here’s 9V-MBA pictured at Changi in late April sporting its new colours, with the tell-tale Wi-Fi antenna on the roof.

The MAXs will eventually replace SIA’s Boeing 737-800s, for a consistent product and service offering across the narrow-body and wide-body fleets, however the type is still awaiting approval to fly again in Singapore from CAAS.

No timescale for a reintroduction of the aircraft type in Singapore has yet been announced, but hopefully once that does happen we can look forward to a formal reveal of the new cabin products.

Airbus A330s

Three Singapore Airlines Airbus A330s remain in storage at Changi. All aircraft have ceased service, not flying revenue flights for over a year, and are for return to their respective leasing companies.

This process should finish in Q3 2021 with 9V-SSI.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SSG	SIN	23 Mar 20	460
9V-SSH	SIN	28 Mar 20	455
9V-SSI	SIN	25 Nov 19	579

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

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 18 months ago in mid-December 2019, but has not flown since.

Airbus A350s

The Airbus A350-900 long-haul fleet remained at close to full strength in June 2021, with an operating total of 25 out of 27 aircraft. 9V-SMI appears to be having routine maintenance, while 9V-SJB has been recently delivered.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SMA	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMB	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMC	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMD	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SME	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMF	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMG	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SMH	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMI	SIN	23 May 21	34
9V-SMJ	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SMK	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SML	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SMM	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SMN	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMO	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMP	SIN	24 Jun 21	2
9V-SMQ	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMR	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMS	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMT	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SMU	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SMV	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMW	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SMY	SIN	24 Jun 21	2
9V-SMZ	SIN	24 Jun 21	2
9V-SJA	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SJB	SIN	Yet to enter service

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

9V-SJB is the 27th A350 Long Haul variant in the SIA fleet, matching the Boeing 777-300ER’s record as the largest sub-fleet in a single configuration throughout the airline’s history.

All Airbus A350-900 Regional aircraft were flying recently.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SHA	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SHB	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHC	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHD	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHE	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHF	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHG	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHH	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHI	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHJ	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHK	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHL	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SHM	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SHN	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHO	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHP	SIN	24 Jun 21	2
9V-SHQ	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHR	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHS	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHT	SIN	24 Jun 21	2
9V-SHU	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SHV	SIN	25 Jun 21	1

‘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	23 Jun 21	3
9V-SGB	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SGC	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SGD	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SGE	SIN	24 Jun 21	2
9V-SGF	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SGG	SIN	24 Jun 21	2

‘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 currently in long-term storage at Alice Springs, with the other 12 aircraft stored at Changi, or in some cases undergoing retrofit work.

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

The aircraft type provisionally reappears in the winter 2021/22 schedules (from late October / early November 2021), though that remains TBC, since many changes are likely.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SKF	SIN	24 Mar 20	459
9V-SKG	SIN	25 Mar 20	458
9V-SKH	SIN	22 Mar 20	461
9V-SKI	SIN	20 Mar 20	463
9V-SKJ	SIN	20 Mar 20	463
9V-SKK	ASP	21 Mar 20	462
9V-SKL	ASP	27 Mar 20	456
9V-SKM	SIN	21 Mar 20	462
9V-SKN	SIN	15 Oct 19	620
9V-SKP	ASP	24 Mar 20	459
9V-SKQ	SIN	26 Mar 20	457
9V-SKR	SIN	19 Mar 20	464
9V-SKS	SIN	12 Mar 20	471
9V-SKT	ASP	18 Mar 20	465
9V-SKU	SIN	25 Mar 20	458
9V-SKV	SIN	28 Mar 20	455
9V-SKW	ASP	26 Mar 20	457
9V-SKY	ASP	27 Mar 20	456
9V-SKZ	ASP	30 Mar 20	453

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

SIA has confirmed 12 of its A380 aircraft will be remaining under current plans for the post-COVID recovery, all to be fitted with new cabin products before returning to service.

Boeing 737-800s

All nine Boeing 737-800s that moved across from SilkAir to Singapore Airlines remain in service with the mainline carrier.

Additionally, three Boeing 737-800s that will not be operated by SIA have been moved across to the airline in preparation for sale. These are 9V-MGF, 9V-MGH and 9V-MGP.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-MGA	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-MGB	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-MGC	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-MGD	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-MGE	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-MGF	SIN	2 May 21	55
9V-MGH	SIN	11 Apr 21	76
9V-MGK	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-MGL	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-MGM	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-MGN	SIN	20 Jun 21	6
9V-MGP	SIN	20 Apr 21	67

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

SilkAir’s last passenger flight was on 6th May 2021, from Kathmandu to Singapore. Don’t miss our tribute to the regional subsidiary’s 29-year history.

Boeing 737-8 MAX

Since the May 2021 update, 9V-MBF has also been moved to the Singapore Airlines AOC as expected. All six of the ex-SilkAir 737 MAX aircraft are now part of the SIA fleet

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-MBA	SIN	11 Mar 19	838
9V-MBB	ASP	11 Mar 19	838
9V-MBC	SIN	10 Mar 19	839
9V-MBD	SIN	12 Mar 19	837
9V-MBE	SIN	11 Mar 19	838
9V-MBF	SIN	11 Mar 19	838

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

9V-MBD and -MBE were both returned from Alice Springs to Singapore in June 2021, leaving only 9V-MBB to make the trip back for retrofit.

These aircraft have not flown passenger services since early 2019, when the fleet was grounded by regulators due to safety concerns. They are in the process of being returned to Singapore for cabin refits in anticipation of clearance to fly again in the coming months.

Eight further aircraft already built by Boeing and stored in the USA will join the fleet between now and March 2022.

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 were all initially stored in Alice Springs, with one additional aircraft hibernating at Changi for a couple of years now, after a failed sale attempt.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SQJ	SIN	2 Aug 18	1059
9V-SRF	ASP	30 Nov 19	574
9V-SRG	ASP	1 Feb 20	511
9V-SRH	ASP	23 Mar 20	460
9V-SRJ	ASP	7 Jun 20	384
9V-SRL	ASP	24 Mar 20	459
9V-SRP	SIN	24 Mar 20	459
9V-SRQ	SIN	15 Jun 20	376

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

Both 9V-SRP and 9V-SRQ were returned from Alice Springs to Singapore in early April 2021, presumably in preparation for disposal / sale.

Last flight and number of days shown reflects most recent passenger service with NokScoot in the case of SRF to SRQ.

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	466
9V-SVC	ASP	19 Mar 20	464
9V-SVE	ASP	21 Mar 20	462

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

There are still two retired Boeing 777-300 (non-ER) aircraft in the fleet, also for disposal.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SYF	SIN	10 Apr 20	442
9V-SYH	SIN	5 May 20	417

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

Boeing 777-300ERs

12 of SIA’s 27 Boeing 777-300ERs were active over the last week, the same as we saw last month but as mentioned the aircraft are now flying much more often.

The other 15 aircraft are stored at Changi, though as we now know 9V-SWA, -SWD, -SWE and -SWF have been retired and will not rejoin the fleet, leaving only 11 to be activated again.

Aircraft	Location	Last flew	Days ago
9V-SWA	SIN	29 Mar 20	454
9V-SWB	SIN	24 Mar 20	459
9V-SWD	SIN	19 Mar 20	464
9V-SWE	SIN	1 Feb 21	145
9V-SWF	SIN	28 Sep 20	271
9V-SWG	SIN	30 May 20	392
9V-SWH	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SWI	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SWJ	SIN	4 May 20	418
9V-SWK	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SWL	ASP	13 Mar 21	105
9V-SWM	SIN	11 Jun 21	15
9V-SWN	SIN	3 May 21	54
9V-SWO	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SWP	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SWQ	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SWR	SIN	19 Jun 21	7
9V-SWS	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SWT	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SWU	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SWV	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SWW	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SWY	SIN	5 Dec 20	203
9V-SWZ	SIN	11 Jun 21	15
9V-SNA	SIN	23 Jun 20	368
9V-SNB	SIN	16 Mar 20	467
9V-SNC	SIN	14 Jun 20	377

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

One of these aircraft, 9V-SWL, is stored at Alice Springs.

The Boeing 777-300ER fleet has been predominantly operating cargo-only flights for the last year or so, though these aircraft are now increasingly being used for passenger services too.

Routes include London, Sydney, Jakarta and Hong Kong, including a First Class cabin reintroduced this month for the first time in a year.

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	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCB	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCC	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCD	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCE	SIN	25 Jun 21	1
9V-SCF	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCG	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCH	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCI	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCJ	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCK	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCL	SIN	22 Jun 21	4
9V-SCM	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCN	SIN	26 Jun 21	0
9V-SCO	SIN	26 Jun 21	0

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

Alice Springs storage

23 Singapore Airlines Group aircraft remain in long-term storage at Alice Springs airport in Australia as of 29th June 2021, 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 737-8 MAX	1
	Boeing 777-200	5
	Boeing 777-200ER	3
	Boeing 777-300ER	1
	Airbus A320	3
	Boeing 787-8	3

Fleet development plan

Based on the latest CAAS aircraft register at 31st May 2021, recent deliveries and SIA’s latest financial update, here’s how the registered SIA fleet should develop between now and March 2022.

Registered Passenger Aircraft Fleet

Aircraft Type	Fleet Totals
	29 Jun 2021	Leaving	Joining	31 Mar 2022
A330-300	3	3		—
A350-900	27		2	58
A350-900 Regional	22
A350-900 ULR	7
A380-800	19	7		12
737-8 MAX	6		8	14
737-800 NG	12	3		9
777-200	8	8		—
777-200ER	3	3		—
777-300	2	2		—
777-300ER	27	4		23
787-10	15		5	20
All Types	151	30	15	136

Aside from the remaining Airbus A330s, which will be returned to their lessors by Q3 2021, this table assumes that other aircraft being withdrawn will have been formally deregistered by 31st March 2022. That might not be the case, though either way they certainly won’t be returned to revenue service.

Boeing 787-10 orders scaled back

Earlier this month we revealed how Singapore Airlines had transferred two of its Boeing 787-10 orders to Scoot (converted to Boeing 787-9s), while also selling five of its upcoming delivery slots to lessors, from which it will still take delivery of the aircraft.

That means only 13 more Boeing 787-10s will be delivered to the airline, five of which are due before the end of March 2022.

Here’s how the latest total SIA Group orders for fleet modernisation and replacement looks.

SIA Group Orders
(incl. from lessors)

Scoot also introduced is first Airbus A321neo aircraft into service this month, between Singapore and Bangkok, having been unsuccessful in its negotiations with lessors to push back delivery of the new jets.

Summary

SIA continues to be the world’s largest Airbus A350 operator, with 56 of the type now in its fleet including 27 in Long Haul configuration, thanks to the recent delivery of 9V-SJB.

More Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft have also been relocated from storage in Alice Springs this month, an aircraft we’re eager to see back in the schedules with its new narrow-body Business Class seat, offering a short-haul flat-bed option.

Overall, SIA is now actively flying 90 aircraft, its highest since schedules were slashed in April 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic decimated schedules to just 4% of usual flying.

Promises of travel relaxations as Singapore gradually increases its proportion of vaccinated residents will hopefully help SIA drive further service and fleet expansion in the second half of this year.

Stay tuned for the next fleet update in July 2021.

(Cover Photo: Transport Pixels)