Singapore Airlines downgrades all Phuket flights to Boeing 737-800s

Last month we reported how Singapore Airlines had made the surprise move of downgrading its inaugural Boeing 737-8 MAX route to the inferior ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800 model, which lacks Wi-Fi, built-in IFE, and has recliner seats in Business Class, for the month of September.

Unfortunately the airline has now extended this arrangement by a full six months, with the route now stuck with these inferior cabin products through to at least the end of March 2023.

While the more basic Economy and Business Class seats may seem a relatively inconsequential aspect on a short flight like this, a large proportion of SIA passengers on the Phuket route are connecting to or from long-haul destinations such as Europe, Australia or the USA, and therefore prefer product consistency between their flights.

Indeed that’s exactly the benefit SIA was touting when it first promoted its new narrow-body fleet (originally, only the MAX was supposed to fly for the airline), with the same product standards and service intended regardless of whether you’re flying on a long-haul or regional service.

Phuket downgrades through to March 2023

While the Singapore – Phuket route represented SIA’s first introduction of the MAX to its network, and the type was largely used exclusively on the city pair over the last few months, older ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800s started creeping back in on selected days since late August.

The news got worse for those travelling in September 2022, with Boeing 737-800s back on nearly all Phuket flights.

Unfortunately the airline has now confirmed a switch of all its Phuket flights to the Boeing 737-800 for the next six months, right through to at least the end of the northern winter season on 25th March 2023.

That means if you’re booked in Business Class it’s a significant downgrade from flat-bed seats with enhanced privacy, like this:

to side-by-side recliners with little privacy (and a recline of just 8 inches), like this:

For most of our readers, these are certainly not seats to waste your KrisFlyer miles on.

If you’re connecting from a long-haul flight, from Europe for example, don’t count on getting an extra hour’s sleep on the Singapore – Phuket sector with a seat like this in store.

In Economy Class there will be no device charging option, while both cabins lack a built-in entertainment system and Wi-Fi connectivity.

You can stream entertainment content onto your personal device from an onboard server on the 737-800, but it’s no match for the full KrisWorld system on the MAXs.

The lack of Wi-Fi is certainly a shame, with Singapore Airlines currently trialling an unlimited connection for Business Class and a complimentary 2-hour surf package for KrisFlyer members until further notice, though sadly neither of those perks will be of any use on these Phuket flights.

Before you ask, unfortunately there is no ‘downgrade’ compensation due from the airline, either in the form of cash or miles.

Like most other airlines, in SIA’s eyes, Business Class is Business Class.

The schedule (from October 2022)

Since 1st October Singapore Airlines is flying the Phuket route four times daily, with all services scheduled to be flown by the Boeing 737-800, as shown in the following schedule.

Note that timings change slightly (+/- 15 mins.) from the start of the northern winter season on 30th October 2022, but the same flight numbers and aircraft type are used.

Singapore    Phuket

From 1st October 2022

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ726 737-8 MAX 737-800
SIN 08:30		HKT 09:35
	SQ728 737-8 MAX 737-800
SIN 10:00		HKT 10:50
	SQ736 737-8 MAX 737-800
SIN 16:20		HKT 17:10
	SQ740 737-8 MAX 737-800
SIN 18:30		HKT 19:20

Phuket    Singapore

From 1st October 2022

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ725 737-8 MAX 737-800
HKT 10:25		SIN 13:25
	SQ727 737-8 MAX 737-800
HKT 11:40		SIN 14:40
	SQ735 737-8 MAX 737-800
HKT 18:10		SIN 21:00
	SQ739 737-8 MAX 737-800
HKT 20:10		SIN 22:55

How was the MAX better?

The Singapore Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX cabins feature a big improvement over those found on the refurbished ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800s.

Here are our dedicated articles covering both of the new MAX cabins, to show what to get on board when flying on the MAX, but sadly not on these Phuket routes for the foreseeable future.

SIA 737-8 MAX Business Class READ OUR OVERVIEW

SIA 737-8 MAX Business Class READ OUR OVERVIEW

SIA 737-8 MAX Economy Class READ OUR OVERVIEW

SIA 737-8 MAX Economy Class READ OUR OVERVIEW

Singapore Airlines was even operating its Airbus A350 Medium Haul and Airbus A350 Long Haul aircraft on the Phuket route over the peak December 2021 and January 2022 period, to take advantage of demand for the “Phuket Sandbox” programme at the time.

However, with much wider border reopening globally since then, these aircraft are now busily deployed elsewhere on the network, and unfortunately we wouldn’t expect a repeat of that this winter.

Where else are the 737-800s flying?

Back in May 2022, Singapore Airlines announced it was reducing its inherited ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800 fleet from nine to seven aircraft, though these jets will remain with the airline until their leases expire between September 2024 and January 2026.

That means you may potentially still need to avoid these aircraft through to late 2025.

You’ll find ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800s operating on the following Singapore Airlines routes between now and the end of the northern winter season in late March 2023:

• Bali (but 3 of 4 daily flights use the 787-10)
• Bengaluru (but A350 options exist)
• Dhaka (but A350 options exist)
• Kathmandu (but MAX / 787 options exist)
• Kuala Lumpur (but MAX / A350 options exist)
• Medan (all flights)
• Surabaya (but A350 / 777 options exist)
• Yangon (all flights from 30th October)

Don’t forget we have a continually updated guide covering all Singapore Airlines Business Class seat types by route, including differences by individual flight number and date / season, through to March 2023.

SIA Business Class Seats by Route SEE OUR GUIDE

SIA Business Class Seats by Route SEE OUR GUIDE

We also have a similar page covering the deployment of the airline’s Suites and First Class seat products on the network.

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If you’re booked to fly on Singapore Airlines to or from Phuket between now and the end of March 2023, there’s bad news in store, with Boeing 737-800s dedicated to the route for the foreseeable future.

That’s a surprising shift, given that Phuket was the inaugural Boeing 737-8 MAX route back in November 2021.

We’ve got a KrisFlyer Saver Business Class award to and from Phuket locked in for November, and despite the temptation to now use it to review the “inferior” ex-SilkAir product, we’ll probably now redeposit these miles and just take Jetstar or Scoot.

(Cover Photo: Shutterstock)