SIA’s short-haul arm may include regional jets in RFP
SilkAir plans to issue a request for proposals (RFP) in April for narrowbodies and possibly regional jets. It expects to place an order before year-end in a move that could see it replace its incumbent Airbus A320 family fleet with Boeing 737s.
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Silkair currently flies an all-A320 fleet |
The Singapore Airlines (SIA) short-haul arm operates 12 A320 family aircraft, but needs more narrowbodies because it has no aircraft due for delivery after 2008, says SilkAir chief executive Mike Barclay. He adds that although preliminary discussions have been held with Airbus, “we will seriously consider Boeing”. If SilkAir chooses the 737 then the order would be for a complete “roll-over of the existing fleet”.
It expects to grow capacity by 10% a year and eventually will have to phase out its existing aircraft because SIA’s policy is to have no aircraft older than 12 years, says Barclay.
According to Flight’s ACAS database, SilkAir operates five A319s and seven A320s, and has one A319 and two A320s on order. Barclay says the RFP will be issued in April and the process is likely to take three months to complete, with the order to be placed this year for deliveries from 2009 to 2013.
The number of aircraft to be requested is not finalised as the airline is considering the introduction of 70- to 90-seat regional jets, and will decide soon whether to include the regional jet manufacturers in the RFP. Barclay says regional jets would enable SilkAir to serve airports that are too small for A320s, and they would also be better suited for routes “with perennially low load factors”.
Barclay says SilkAir has already had preliminary talks with Embraer about 170s and 190s, but has yet to contact Bombardier. If SilkAir orders 70- to 90-seat regional jets in addition to narrowbodies, it will expand capacity by more than 10% a year, but if it only remains with narrowbodies, capacity growth will be pegged at 10% a year.
LEITHEN FRANCIS / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
