Namesake Singapore Airlines unit needs reinvestment
A noteworthy point is, today’s Singapore Airlines (SIA) is no longer your father’s Singapore Airlines which used to be an industry benchmark with far superior service offerings against the industry standard. As other Asian and Middle Eastern carriers have made notable strides in product enhancement, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has not had any major cabin overhauls since the introduction of its flagship Airbus A380 fleet in October 2007.
As always with Aspire Aviation a very good analysis, although they did roll out the 'new' cabins with the 777-300ER due to the A380 delays. Singapore need to pick their act up! I think they're great but I constantly see threads unravelling so to speak.
Programs: KrisFlyer Elite Gold, Garuda FF Silver, Le Club Accorhotels Gold
Posts: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by NA-Flyer
products wise: SQ is ahead of its competitors in ages.
So by the time competitors reach the level of where is SQ right now, I am sure then SQ will be in a different league.
I'm not so sure. There is a huge disconnect in product offering across the fleets which does a great disservice to the SQ image. The un-refurbished 777 aircraft have been flying on the same flight numbers at times as the 777-300ER aircraft that have been flying for nearly 5 years with the 'new' product. A product which is now beginning to show it's age (I had to use a sick bag to prop up a screen that had a broken screen bracket recently). The refurbishment of the 777-300 (non-ER) product in economy was surely a joke.
When Garuda Indonesia is delivering a more consistent product then I think Singapore is very much in danger of loosing its well deserved status.
As other Asian and Middle Eastern carriers have made notable strides in product enhancement, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has not had any major cabin overhauls since the introduction of its flagship Airbus A380 fleet in October 2007.
I wonder which airline is overhauling their cabin every 5 years? I would think that the life cycle of the cabin product is well beyond that with most airlines. And if you take look at the competitors, most of them are struggeling with an inconsistent product, look at EK, TG and CX for example.
SQ has announced that they are working on a new cabin product which should be presented somewhere in 2013 (delivery of the 787?), but i honestly wonder what can you introduce to create a wow-factor. C-Product on the ERs and 380 are at a standard well above others and while i see a few details to improve here it wouldnt create the wow-factor. But lets wait and see.
I personally dont see the hard-product as the biggest problem (people on routes with frequent equipment changes may feel differently) its more the soft product which is loosing out. Ground staff (in SIN), call centre, website, krisflyer ff-programme are sub-par and the cost cuttings are evident.
I'm not so sure. There is a huge disconnect in product offering across the fleets which does a great disservice to the SQ image..
The inconsistency of the premium cabins, I too perceive as their greatest weakness.
But the propaganda is strong within them and most of their customers and SQ itself regards SQ as infallible and above critique.
Add to his the typical "don't listen to customers as they don't know the business and hence are wrong" attitude here and you have SQ in its current shape.
But I doubt that they are vulnerable. Their political situation is sound and they have a loyal fan base even in this forum. When I think how long it took me to talk my working colleagues out of using KrisFlyer as an FFP, they can go on for a long while.
Programs: KrisFlyer Elite Gold, Garuda FF Silver, Le Club Accorhotels Gold
Posts: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by SQ325
I wonder which airline is overhauling their cabin every 5 years?
Not so much about the 5 year old product but the 10 year old (and older) product. It doesn't so much matter what other airlines are doing. SQ is supposed to be the class leader.
The inconsistency of the premium cabins, I too perceive as their greatest weakness.
I don't think so. It's the inconsistent use of different types of premium cabins on the same route that is the problem. Is anyone really willing to pay for the top of the line product on a 1.5-3 hr flight, fore example on SIN to CGK, BKK, SGN or even MNL? On short flights like these any of the SQ J product is more than adequate for business class, and with the exception of TG, even the old 2-3-2 product is better than competitor products on said routes.
Most of the top tier airlines struggle with the same issue, having the right mix of short haul, regional and long haul products in their fleet in the right numbers such that they never have to substitute one for the other on any given route. It's the bottom tier airlines that do have consistent product .... consistently bad.
For sure it is annoying, if you booked on SIN-AMS under the impression the 777-300ER is flying on that route and you paid the premium to fly the C, but later SQ start to swap back to 777-200ER. Personnally i have no problem with that old C-seat but i understand that people are pi...ed off.
Iam lucky enough that the routes iam frequently flying are served either by new-birds or retrofitted birds equipped with the same C product and similar Y product (i honestly prefer the Y-retrofit seat for the seating comfort). For quite some time I havent seen one of the older 777 with old regional product (there should be only left or am i wrong?).
Quote:
When I think how long it took me to talk my working colleagues out of using KrisFlyer as an FFP, they can go on for a long while.
What alternatives are there? The routes that iam flying leaving me not much of a choice. While i agree there maybe better FF programmes, its not all that bad.
I don't think so. It's the inconsistent use of different types of premium cabins on the same route that is the problem...
Yes I agree. I should have stated it as the problem with different premium products on longhaul routes.
But unlike some airlines like LH which are just incapable of retrofitting their fleet, SQ seems to have no intention to fix the status quo.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SQ325
What alternatives are there? The routes that iam flying leaving me not much of a choice. While i agree there maybe better FF programmes, its not all that bad.
But that is already my whole point. Ex Singa you just have to fly SQ now and then but that doesn't mean you have to use their FFP.
For my of my pals quick status is key and hence KrisFlyer is not ideal but also not the worst *A FFP.
But that is already my whole point. Ex Singa you just have to fly SQ now and then but that doesn't mean you have to use their FFP.
For my of my pals quick status is key and hence KrisFlyer is not ideal but also not the worst *A FFP.
Iam flying enough with them to requalify for my status fast. Why should i try with A3 for example were in gold status can reached earlier, but miles in the end are pretty worthless.
I wonder are there any plans to phase out the 777-200ERs soon?
I hold 3 *A elites at the moment but would still not collect with KF ... there is just nothing useful in there for me.
What is the logic behind that? I would understand two (if one would be the A3), but three?
However, as iam hardly using the earned miles anyway (currently collecting in two *A) it doesnt make much of a difference to me. Lounge access and Prio check-in is all what i need.
com'n give me a break !!!!
