Why Singapore Airlines Just Axed Airbus A380 Aircraft on This Long-Haul Route

Singapore Airlines was the first customer of the Airbus A380 and continues to be an important user of the model. According to me Star Alliance the latest member schedule, will have the second highest number of double flights in the world this year.

Its second best position is even though it pulls all the planned superjumbo planes from it Dubai way this summer. Of course, this is another consequence of the war in Iran. There are so many other influences that it seems unfair to single out a small number of them as examples. However, they include Qatar Airways suspending passenger flights to 64 destinations, Virgin Atlantic ending flights to Riyadh after less than a year, and Emirates removing the A380 from 15 routes.

Singapore Airlines Moves A380 to Dubai This Summer

Credit: GCMap

A few months ago, the carrier announced that the 471-seat model will be delivered to Dubai, with flights starting on March 29. However, the route, which covers 3,157 nautical miles (5,847 km), has been suspended due to the war.

Singapore Airlines He expected to return to Dubai in May 2ndbut now it has been pushed back to June 2nd. However, given the instability in the Gulf, it would be reasonable to assume that it will be pushed back again. It would not be surprising if the flights did not operate during the summer at all.

The plan was for the A380 to be used from May 2, but the model has been withdrawn. That is not surprising, as it would have provided a significant amount of capacity at a time when the demand for flights to/from the Gulf has decreased significantly. And most Singapore Airlines passengers on this route are domestic. Instead, a 264-seat Boeing 777-300ER—which has been on the route for years—is scheduled for June 2 onwards.

What is the latest news on the A380?

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

As of April 3, the latest information shows that Singapore Airlines has scheduled an A380 to Dubai from October 25th. This is when the operators switch to the next season’s schedules based on the IATA slot times.

Of course, that’s a long way off, and a lot can change—and probably will—before then. It would be better to think of it as an actor’s schedule. In other words, it is only temporary. It is possible that the complete removal of the A380.

Related

Qatar Airways Stops Flights to 64 Destinations [Full List & Map]

All Gulf airlines are affected, including Qatar Airways. View all currently suspended sites.

So, What Routes Are Planned This Summer?

Credit: GCMap

According to the latest schedule of Singapore Airlines in Cirium Diio, the passenger is planning now eight A380 routes from Changi. The removal of the brand from Dubai means that superjumbo departures have dropped by 10%.

This decline is impressive. In addition, after a three-year absence, A380 aircraft returned to Melbourne on March 29. It would be easy to conclude that the flight to Dubai was diverted to Victoria. But as Melbourne was already included in the picture above, it suggests that this is not a straightforward matter. So, will an A380 alternative materialize? Where else will this type be seen more often? Time will tell.

Let’s focus on June to September. At this time, London Heathrow and Sydney Each will have two daily A380 flights. There are also routes with daily tides: Delhi (no A380 service between June 21 and July 25), Frankfurt, Hong Kong (June 21-July 25 only), Melbourne, Mumbai (no A380 flights between July 26 and August 29), and Shanghai Pudong. Pudong will have more A380 flights than ever from 2019, but that was already planned.

Note that the double decker that would have gone to Delhi will be temporarily flown to Hong Kong. This is the same system that existed last year, although regular service was available in the past. It is currently unclear what will happen to the flight that would have gone to Mumbai. That’s a month-plus gap.