SQ978 (B777 200) hopefully due for retirement

[SQSuite]

Hi all

Sorry to vent three times in one day.

Every few years I fly ADL-SIN-BKK and return. The SIN-BKK flight is normally SQ978 and whichever flight I take for the SIN-BKK sector I always travel on a B777-200. It might even be the same aircraft but I just remember the type not the fuselage number. I've always had different seats

On this flight the IFE is an older type with a small screen and less choice. The screen is usually unreadable and there are often stains on the cabin plastic. The seats are less roomy than on the A330-300 on the ADL-SIN leg.

This year had all those problems plus it was the noisiest aircraft I've ever been on. And I've flown on 1960s turboprops. The noise from the engines drowned out the cabin announcements which is surely a safety concern.

I can only hope the SIN-BKK sector gets a 787 or 350 in the next year or two otherwise I'll have to change airlines.

Thanks for reading this far

J

[9V-SPL]

The past month or so (at the least), SQ978 has been operated by the 77Es (9V-SV*). These are the long-haul configured ones.

[pokfur]

SQ is supposed to retire these old birds within the next financial year.

[SQ228]

SQ is supposed to retire these old birds within the next financial year.

Nope, only three of them which we assume to be SVF, SRJ and SRL.

The 772s on SQ978 are going to be around for at least another year and probably much longer. Only SVB is confirmed at this stage to have the 2006 IFE retrofitted.

[pokfur]

Yes I was referring to those 3 old birds, which is what the OP had described in his original post.

[ycp81]

Was looking at flight bookings next year May to BKK and all the flights have been swapped to A330s.

[r123]

Anyone knows when will SIA consider to refurbish its 777-200's (in particular the entertainment systems). There are threads talking about withdrawals but I have not seen that so far. SQ's 777-200's actually fly to long destinations such as DXB and IST. When you buy a ticket online, it says "retrofit" but the only difference is that the cabin seats are yellow instead of blue; nothing has changed concerning the inflight entertainment system. A380's are being refurbished, many 777-300's have been, A350 has arrived... so how will the 777-200 cope with that delay? Some say that SQ should have prioritized refurbishing 777-200 cabin instead of rushing on 777-300... Any idea on the future of 777-200's and why it takes so long?

[FN-GM]

They have refurbished some 777-200, 777-200ER and 777-300 with ex 77W products.

[SQ228]

Anyone knows when will SIA consider to refurbish its 777-200's (in particular the entertainment systems). There are threads talking about withdrawals but I have not seen that so far. SQ's 777-200's actually fly to long destinations such as DXB and IST. When you buy a ticket online, it says "retrofit" but the only difference is that the cabin seats are yellow instead of blue; nothing has changed concerning the inflight entertainment system. A380's are being refurbished, many 777-300's have been, A350 has arrived... so how will the 777-200 cope with that delay? Some say that SQ should have prioritized refurbishing 777-200 cabin instead of rushing on 777-300... Any idea on the future of 777-200's and why it takes so long?

You're asking a question that I can firmly say nobody on here knows the answer to. All we know is that there has been some ad hoc refitting of ex-77W 2006 Y seats and IFE systems to random 772s. Even the 773s undergoing this are random and incomplete. The planes once gaining the better products do not get prioritised onto any particular route. There's been no official announcements from SQ about this program either.

In terms of where the old 772ER planes fly to which are longer than around 7.5 hours, the ports are IST, CHC, BNE, SYD, CBR/WLG. FCO is about to go A350 in about a week or so I think, which is currently the longest flight left.

One thing we are certain about are the three old purple cabins disappearing within the next 6 months. SRJ seems to have already been withdrawn and SRL and SVF are now the only ones left of their kind.

[r123]

You're asking a question that I can firmly say nobody on here knows the answer to. All we know is that there has been some ad hoc refitting of ex-77W 2006 Y seats and IFE systems to random 772s. Even the 773s undergoing this are random and incomplete. The planes once gaining the better products do not get prioritised onto any particular route. There's been no official announcements from SQ about this program either.

In terms of where the old 772ER planes fly to which are longer than around 7.5 hours, the ports are IST, CHC, BNE, SYD, CBR/WLG. FCO is about to go A350 in about a week or so I think, which is currently the longest flight left.

One thing we are certain about are the three old purple cabins disappearing within the next 6 months. SRJ seems to have already been withdrawn and SRL and SVF are now the only ones left of their kind.

Got it, thanks for the details. Yes indeed the purple cabins are being removed but it is strange to retrofit the whole cabin if that's to keep the same IFE systems. Comfort wise, those seats are quite good but IFE needs some changes. I guess the clientele on flights such as IST are not very demanding in terms of product compared to the clientele you got to face on CDG, LHR and other Western European routes (thus understandable that FCO switches to A350).

[pokfur]

Got it, thanks for the details. Yes indeed the purple cabins are being removed but it is strange to retrofit the whole cabin if that's to keep the same IFE systems. Comfort wise, those seats are quite good but IFE needs some changes. I guess the clientele on flights such as IST are not very demanding in terms of product compared to the clientele you got to face on CDG, LHR and other Western European routes (thus understandable that FCO switches to A350).

Just thought I'd clarify. Majority of the 772s flying around are considered 'refitted' in that they have the current generation regional Business Class, and Economy class seats were given new seat covers and a larger (square) IFE screen. This was done quite a while ago (2009? 2010?). Meanwhile, the SV-series received the 2006 flat-beds, and the same treatment to the Y cabin. The IFE system itself relied on the old Rockwell Collins system. At that time, these were considered the 'refitted' 777s since the non-refitted ones would be the ones with the purple cabins. The name has since stuck even though we have newer 2006 and 2013 products plying the skies.

The random refitting that SQ228 is talking about is a very recent thing. As you rightly highlighted, the newer 777-300ERs with 2006 products and IFE system were refurbished to the 2013 products. Some of the hand-me-down 2006 products were then put into the 772s (and 773s), but at random. If you refer to the SQ Fleet wiki, it will tell you which particular registrations have the 2006 Y and IFE. Again, these aircraft do not fly any particular routes and are rostered similarly to the rest of the 772 fleet.

And again, SQ has recently reupholstered the regional Business Class of some of their aircraft. I have flown on both A330 and 772 aircraft with the reupholstered dark brown leather seats (instead of light brown). This reupholstering has nothing to do with upgrading IFE or installing the 2006 Y seats.