New cabins for 744?

[calvina3xx]

To connect any two cities, a minimum of ETOPS 300 would be needed. .

Hmmm....Is there any known airlines with ETOPS 300? Its sounds so high that i think it can basically overcome the limitation of ETOPS in the first place. Wonder how long does it take to fly across the Pacific?

[kelvgoh]

9V-SMS is just out of substantial MX. The interior was probably cleaned up.

my poor luck continues. you can imagine my heart sinking when I saw SMS lined up at the gate to take me to LHR.

it was in really really poor knick, 2 out of the 4 toilets in the fore Y cabin were faulty. one had a leaky floor that was dampened using SQ blankets, the other was completely sealed off (i imagine it to be a faulty flush)

I can only imagine the smells endured by row 38 pax.

A number of IFE systems weren't working - a pax beside be was complaining but because the flight was completely full nothing could be done for her. 13 hrs. shrugs.

What was slightly puzzling though was the usage of the aircraft. SMS did a LHR run three days ago, then did an aussie run i think, then did SQ2/1 to SFO on 29/30th march. it arrived in Singapore 11.40am on 30th march, and then did a 12.45 SQ 318 to London.

I'm just concerned that the turnover times are so short (esp for 29/30 march), and that the routes flown are not exactly short routes either.

Boarding was delayed by about 30 mins, and I could tell by the flustered and tired faces of the crew that they had a heck of a job in trying to prep SMS for the long LHR run.

I'm just wondering if its customary to put the aircraft through such heavy duty, esp since the A380s have supposedly lessened the pressure on what is effectively 3 routes, and HKG (866/865) getting lots of 772 for 744 swaps.

In any case, i think SQ consider not using SMS/U/W for the long haul routes anymore.

[Tanandika]

yes, I was on the SQ 2 to SFO on SMS a couple of days ago and it was SMS and the plane was in a really shabby condition... and i agree too that SQ should consider using a less faulty aircraft especially for long haul routes

[zvezda]

SQ have already sold all of their passenger JumboJets. Six of those are set to leave the fleet over the next twelve months. We know that 9V-SPR is one of the six. Presumably, all three remaining 9V-SM* birds will be among the other five.