Airbus is working on a new variant of
its A350-900 wide-body that would allow Singapore Airlines to restore nonstop
U.S. flights and regain the record for the world’s longest airline sector.
Source: Airbus
Airbus is working on changes to the
cabin layout that would reduce its weight and allow Singapore Airlines to reach
New York economically by 2018, said Kiran Rao, the planemaker’s Executive Vice
President for Strategy and Marketing.
Source: Airbus
Rao said the A350 should be able to
make the trip with 25% less fuel burn than older models, at the expense of a
less dense layout than the usual 325-seat, 3-class A350-900, which could be
available “an awful lot quicker than Boeing.”
Source: Airbus
Several other airlines have expressed
an interest in such a variant, Rao said, while declining to identify them.
“I can’t go into details on the type
of layouts they’re looking at but it would be a premium service,” he said.
Source: Airbus
When Singapore Air last flew to the
New York area directly it did so with just 100 business-only seats on a
four-engine Airbus A340-500, an arrangement that ultimately proved non-viable.
The route, to Newark in New Jersey,
was the longest non-stop commercial air service ever offered at 15,344
kilometers (9,536 miles).
Based on the article “Airbus Plans Long-Range A350 to Fly Singapore-NYC
Direct by 2018”published in
Bloomberg.
As much as I'm an Airbus fan, it is time for Airbus to step up the game and create an uncompromising true ultra-long range aircraft that carrypassenger and cargo loads competitive with the the 777-8/LR.
ReplyDeleteI think the longer they wait and the more Boeing chirps of the 787-10, 778/9 in the ears of carriers, the smaller that window becomes for them. One thing is for sure. If they do follow through with this ULH model for SQ, the probability of the A350-1100 or the super twin that others have speculated on is greatly diminished. Borderline eliminated.
ReplyDeleteThe A350-900LR would have an empty weight 20.000 kg lower then the 777-200LR. SQ did buy the 300ER but not 200LR for a reason.
ReplyDeleteI think Airbus has taken on board what Singapore Airlines wants and has come up with this option,which is fewer seats. I'm not sure that this any kind of opposition to Boeing,this idea never worked for Singapore Airlines with the A340 but Airbus being Airbus,they know it would be to late for a A350-1100 by the time they got it to fruition and Boeing is already gathering orders for its yet un built 777-9X which will carry 50 more seats at the same seat per mile cost. The 777-8x carries 350 seats with a range of 9300 nautical miles,that would suit SA very well. As much as I like Airbus,they always seem to be playing catch up with Boeing. As it stands at the moment Boeings 77x's have 286 orders and say the first 777x will come off the production line in mid 2018 with EIS mid 2019. As much as I would Like Airbus to produce a true long range Aircraft to compete with the 777-8lr, they have only 5 years at best and need to annouce it now if they really want to compete with Boeing. Going by present performance I would say they haven't a hope in hell.
ReplyDelete