SINGAPORE AIRLINES (SIA) is expected to issue a request for tenders for a new medium-haul passenger aircraft, as a partial replacement for its fleet of Airbus Industrie A310s.
The airline is understood to be looking to order up to 17 new wide bodies, plus a similar number of options. It plans to complete an evaluation and make a final type selection in the third quarter of this year, according to airline sources.
SIA's replacement regional jet, dubbed "Y aircraft", will be larger than the existing 189-seat A310. Company interest is primarily focused on the Airbus A330, A340-200 and the Boeing 777 A-market aircraft, seating typically between 260 and 375 passengers, depending on class configuration.
The Y aircraft competition was delayed by SIA's order in 1994 for 11 Boeing 747-400s and ten A340-300Es (Flight International, 29 June-5 July). The deal, valued at over $10 billion, included options on a further 20 A340-200/300Es or A330s, and 11 more 747-400s. The latter options could also be converted to an order for 777s.
Both the A330 and 777 twinjets are considered better suited economically to SIA's regional routes, rather than the longer-range A340-200.
An order for either aircraft, however, would require the introduction of a new engine into SIA fleet service, from either General Electric, Pratt & Whitney or Rolls-Royce.
Selection of the four-engine A340-200, in place of the twinjets, would entail some "misuse" of the aircraft, on medium-haul regional routes.
Higher direct-operating costs, however, would arguably be offset by airframe and CFM56 engine commonality with SIA's higher-gross-weight A340-300Es. Use of the aircraft would offer the added benefit of route flexibility.
SIA operates a total of 22 A310s, consisting of 16 -300s and six -200s, some of which will be retained for at least another eight years until 2003 for use on the carrier's shorter-range or lower-capacity regional routes.
Source: Flight International
