Singapore Airlines downgrades evening Bali flights to Boeing 737-800s in January

Back in October we reported on SIA’s significant boost to its Bali services, hiking schedules from three to five times daily for the northern winter season from November 2022 to March 2023, with four out of every five services operated by the Boeing 787-10.

The flood of additional seats on the route at relatively short notice even led to over 4,000 KrisFlyer Saver award seats being loaded in Business Class during the five-month period, with some single days even boasting a total of 30 award seats in this cabin!

Selected flights downgrade in January 2023

Currently, only the early morning SQ934/SQ935 service between Singapore and Bali uses SIA’s ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which mirrors its pre-COVID operation with the same aircraft type as MI176/MI175.

The four subsequent flights each day in both directions use the newer wide-body Boeing 787-10, including the latest flat-bed seats in Business Class, with direct aisle access.

Singapore Airlines has updated its Bali flight schedule to show that from 4th January 2023 to 31st January 2023 the carrier’s daily SQ946/SQ947 evening service will be also operated by the Boeing 737-800 instead of the 787-10, in addition to the usual morning SQ934/SQ935 rotation.

Here’s the affected flight highlighted in the full schedule for this route.

Singapore    Bali

10th November 2022
to 25th March 2023

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ934 737-800
SIN 06:55		DPS 09:35
	SQ936 787-10
SIN 08:20		DPS 11:05
	SQ938 787-10
SIN 09:05		DPS 11:50
	SQ944 787-10
SIN 16:20		DPS 19:05
	SQ946 787-10 737-800^
SIN 18:05		DPS 20:50

^ 4th January 2023 to 31st January 2023

Bali    Singapore

10th November 2022
to 25th March 2023

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ935 737-800
DPS 10:30		SIN 13:05
	SQ937 787-10
DPS 12:05		SIN 14:55
	SQ939 787-10
DPS 13:00		SIN 15:40
	SQ945 787-10
DPS 20:15		SIN 22:55
	SQ947 787-10 737-800^
DPS 21:45		SIN 00:20*

^ 4th January 2023 to 31st January 2023
* Next day

This will reduce Boeing 787-10 service on the route to three times daily during this four-week period.

What’s the impact?

If you’re booked in Business Class it’s a significant downgrade from flat-bed seats with high privacy, good storage options and direct aisle access, 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 – Bali sector with a seat like this in store.

In Economy Class there will be no device charging option on these flights, while both cabins lack a built-in entertainment system and have no 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 787-10s.

The lack of Wi-Fi is certainly a shame, with Singapore Airlines recently extending its full-flight unlimited connection for Business Class passengers to its entire fleet – except, you guessed it, the Boeing 737-800!

These aircraft don’t have Wi-Fi capability, and will not be retrofitted with connectivity since their time in the airline is now thankfully short-lived, with return to lessors planned for the seven aircraft between September 2024 and January 2026.

You have to love how Singapore Airlines sells the lack of Wi-Fi on these aircraft – top marks for trying!

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.

Your best bet may be to try and change to a different flight on the Bali route if your booking is affected, and of course if you’re yet to book for travel in this period – there are now two daily flights to avoid if you can.

Award pricing

Here’s a reminder of the latest one-way KrisFlyer award rates you’ll pay for the Singapore – Bali route.

Many scoff at the 21,000 miles rate for a one-way Business Class redemption on these flights, but as we recently highlighted that’s actually one of the better redemptions on a ‘miles per minute’ basis across the SIA network!

Bali is on December’s Spontaneous Escapes list

If you’re looking to head to or from Bali in December 2023, it’s worth remembering that the route is on this month’s Spontaneous Escapes list, with a 30% discount in both Business Class and Economy Class.

Bali Spontaneous Escapes
December 2022
Business Class

Bali Spontaneous Escapes
December 2022
Economy Class

As you can see the discount is applied to the late evening SQ946/SQ947 flights, which are downgraded to the Boeing 737-800 for four weeks in January 2023, but not in December 2022.

In this case you’ll still get the Boeing 787-10, with flat-bed seats.

Space is now limited for next month, but some options are still available, even in Business Class. You’ll have to book by Wednesday (30th November) at 11.59pm Singapore time to lock in these non-refundable rates.

Remember with Spontaneous Escapes that you may find the discount only available in one direction on your preferred dates, but you cannot combine a Promo award and a Saver award in the same booking.

In this case, just book two one-way award tickets instead. You’ll pay the ‘Promo’ rate one-way and the usual ‘Saver’ rate for the non-discounted sector, but at least the whole itinerary will not be at the usual rate (and a 15% overall saving is still welcome).

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 progressively 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 787 options exist)
• Kuala Lumpur (but MAX / A350 options exist)
• Medan (all flights)
• Penang (all flights in Dec ’22, Jan ’23 and early Feb ’23)
• Phuket (all flights)
• Surabaya (but A350 options exist)
• Yangon (all flights)

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.

If you’re booked to fly on Singapore Airlines to or from Bali between 4th and 31st January 2023, check the aircraft type because there are now two daily services during that four-week window operated by the inferior Boeing 737-800.

That’s particularly bad news in Business Class, with flat-bed direct aisle access seats replaced by recliners in a 2-2 configuration. Built-in IFE and Wi-Fi connectivity is also lacking in both cabins.

Hopefully this change does not spread further, as it did on the Phuket route, but thankfully there are still three daily Boeing 787-10 options to and from Bali during this period.

(Cover Photo: Shutterstock)