Singapore Airlines (SIA) expects its first Boeing 777-9 “to still be delivered” in late 2025, even as other operators flag slipping timelines for the arrival of the new widebody.
SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong says the airline also “has some flexibility” in its existing fleet – in the form of 777-300ERs – to mitigate any further delivery delays.
Goh, speaking at a results briefing on 16 May, says: “Based on our understanding, we are expecting the 777-9s to still be delivered next year.”
While Goh declines to comment further, he notes that SIA, which has orders for 31 777-9s, has a “very constructive relationship” with the airframer.
“We work with them as a partner to look at how we can make products better, and how we can ensure that have a productive relationship. [That] is why you find that… when there are disruptions because of [issues like] supply chain, we are actually less affected,” he adds.
Goh’s comments come amid warnings that 777-9s deliveries could face further delays. As recently as late-April, German operator Lufthansa said they now forecast their first 777-9 to be delivered in 2026, a year later than previously expected.
This follows similar sentiments from major 777X customer Emirates. In March president Tim Clark expressed doubt about Boeing’s ability to meet its delivery commitments on time. The Middle Eastern giant, which has over 200 examples on order, forecasts its first 777-9 to be delivered in “early 2026”, instead of late-2025.
Boeing, for its part, maintains that the 777-9 will enter service in 2025 – nearly five years late – despite reported delays in getting certification.
For SIA, the 777-9 is crucial not just for fleet renewal, but also for the launch of new long-haul cabin products.
Goh says the airline remains committed to launching its new products – including brand-new first- and business- class offerings – on the 777-9s, despite ongoing entry-into-service challenges.
“Yes, we were meant to get the 777s earlier: last year was when we were planning to launch it,” he says.
“Rest assured that while we had a delay, we have been making full use of the delay to ensure that any features that we had planned before, will continue to be updated,” Goh adds.
