Airbus Updates No.3773

 

Singapore Airlines Firms Order For New Airbus A350 Freighters

Airbus’ new entrant to the freighter market has secured a firm commitment from Singapore Airlines during the ongoing Singapore Airshow. The airline had signed a letter of intent in December last year, and has now converted that commitment into a firm order for the type.The aircraft will start delivering from 2025, and is set to replace the airline’s fleet of 747-400Fs. In total, Singapore Airlines has signed for seven of the new freighters, Airbus’ first new entrant to the cargo market for many years.

Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, commented,

“This order underscores the importance of the cargo market to the SIA Group. The introduction of the A350F will enhance our capabilities in this key sector, ensuring that we are ready for the growth opportunities that will arise in the coming years. These new-generation aircraft will substantially increase our operating efficiencies and reduce our fuel burn, making an important contribution towards the success of our long-term decarbonisation goals.”

Singapore Airlines is clearly a fan of the Airbus widebody and is presently the world’s largest operator of the type. It has a total of 51 A350-900s in its fleet, plus seven A350-900ULR. With the A350F in its stable, the airline will be able to benefit from fleet commonality as well as a highly efficient freighter aircraft.

Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International Christian Scherer noted,

“Singapore Airlines is the world's largest operator of the A350 and is now set to become the first to fly the all-new freighter variant. The A350F will fit seamlessly into the carrier's existing fleet, while redefining the operational efficiency of its cargo operations, bringing a 40% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions compared with the aircraft it will replace at SIA, while offering the same payload-carrying capacity and longer range.

Cargo continues to shine

For airlines all over the world, cargo has been a bright spot in the quagmire of pandemic-induced challenges. For Singapore Airlines, a highly international-focussed airline operating in a market devoid of domestic flying, it has been critical in staying afloat. Although we are still waiting for the financial results for the third quarter of 2021, ending in December, the most recent results demonstrate just how important cargo has been. In the second quarter, ending September, SIA reported a record high of cargo revenue, clocking in at SG$1,875 million ($1,395 million), up more than 50% over the same quarter in the previous years.

Part of this drive into cargo was achieved by using more passenger planes in that period, adding almost 50% to its cargo capacity. The SIA Group’s cargo network stands at 78 destinations, up from 76 at the end of the first quarter. Goh Choon Phong noted that the trend of cargo’s importance to the airline is anticipated to continue, saying,

“Consumer patterns have changed dramatically in recent times, generating increased demand for the swift transport of cargo by air. With the A350F, SIA will be well-positioned to respond to this enormous market potential in a profitable and sustainable way.”

Singapore Airlines currently uses the 747-400F for its cargo arm. It has a fleet of seven of the aircraft, with an average age of 18.3 years, according to data at ch-aviation. With seven new A350F incoming, these older Queens will be able to take retirement, letting SIA operate similar levels of cargo loads with lower overheads in the future.