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#1 ·
The Creation of Singapore Airlines



From a single plane to an internationally respected brand, almost 60 years of innovation and service has propelled the growth of Singapore Airlines to become one of the world's leading carriers with an advanced fleet. We began with three flights per week, and today our route network spans 90 destinations in almost 40 countries. Years ago, Singapore Airlines was the first to offer free drinks and complimentary headsets. More recently, we pioneered inflight telecommunications services and unparalleled inflight luxury. Soon, we will be the first to put the world’s largest plane into service.


From First Flight to Soaring Height



The history of Singapore Airlines dates back to 1 May 1947, when a Malayan Airways Limited Airspeed Consul took off from Singapore's Kallang Airport on the first of three scheduled flights a week to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang.


Over the next two decades, the Airline steadily acquired more planes. There were additions of the DC-4 Skymaster, Vickers Viscount, Lockheed Super Constellation, Bristol Brittania, Comet IV, and the Fokker F27.


On 16 September 1963, the Federation of Malaysia was born and the Airline became known as Malaysian Airways Limted. In May 1966, it became Malaysia-Singapore Airlines.
Later, the new look of the Airline evolved further with its first Boeings - three B707s, then a fleet of B737s.

In 1972, Malaysia-Singapore Airlines split up to become two entities - Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airline System.

This change was used to launch a new, more modern service approach on the airline. To house a special fleet of B747s, B7272s, and DC-10s, the new Singapore Airlines also boasted a new airfreight terminal and a B747 hangar.




The Singapore Girl is Born

In 1968, the sarong kebaya uniform designed by French couturier Pierre Balmain was introduced and the internationally recognized image of the Singapore Girl debuted.








A Reputation for Inflight Firsts


The 1980s brought a number of firsts. The Singapore Airlines fleet continued to grow, in impressive and historic ways. It had the first A300 Superbus, the B747-300 Big Top, the B757 and the A310-200. We are also the first airline in the world to operate an international commercial flight across the Pacific Ocean with the 747-400 Megatop.


In the 1990s, Singapore Airlines revolutionized inflight communications and entertainment through the KrisFone - the first global sky telephone service - and KrisWorld offerings. At the same time, we sought to further improve our unparalleled fleet, placing a US$10.3-billion order for 22 B747-400s and 30 A340-300s in 1994, a US$12.7-billion order for 77 B777s in 1995, and a US$2.2-billion order for 10 A340-500s in 1998.


In 2000, the Airline placed 19 A380s on firm order and a US$4 billion order for 20 more B777-200s in 2001. The A380, the world's largest commercial plane will soon enter service with Singapore Airlines, making it another world’s first.




The Highest Service Today

Singapore Airlines today is built solidly on our history, from the designer bone china flatware to the Bulgari cologne for First Class passengers, to our advanced fleet of aircraft and motivated employees.


Today, our inflight service is of the highest order. The Singapore Airlines World Gourmet Cuisine boasts a selection of exclusive and tantalising signature dishes, specially designed by a panel of nine internationally renowned chefs, and a wine list selected by three of the world's most discerning wine consultants.
KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines' award-winning and ever-expanding inflight entertainment system, offers customers a wide range of entertainment options. Customers can choose from a variety of movies, TV programmes, music CDs and channels. There is also an extensive selection of video games and interactive applications including Berlitz Word Traveler, a fully interactive learning programme.

Singapore Airlines became a full member of the global Star Alliance in 2000 and with it came "seamless" worldwide air travel. With the extensive network of partner airlines, connecting flights, frequent flyer points, and baggage clearance are now a breeze.

Singapore Airlines’ route network reaches out to over 90 destinations in close to 40 countries.




A Future of Firsts
Singapore Airlines will make Aviation history when the Airline will become the first Airline to operate the world's largest aircraft, the Airbus A380.


The future promises to bring more firsts like these, as we at Singapore Airlines, continually strive to drive quality service through innovation.

 
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9
#694 ·
News from CNA.

India's Tata SIA Airlines expects to take flight by mid-2014
POSTED: 26 Oct 2013 16:35


India's newest planned airline, a joint venture of Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, expects to win swift regulatory clearance and be able to start flying by mid-next year, the carrier's chairman said.

NEW DELHI: India's newest planned airline, a joint venture of Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, expects to win swift regulatory clearance and be able to start flying by mid-next year, the carrier's chairman said.

Indian tea-to-steel conglomerate Tata will hold a 51 percent stake and Singapore Airlines Ltd 49 percent in the new venture, which was announced last month, as they seek to exploit one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets.

"We are looking at very fast clearances. We hope that we will be able to launch by May-June," Prasad Menon, chairman of the new carrier, Tata SIA Airlines, told reporters late Friday.

Even though the Foreign Investment Promotion Board earlier this week cleared the venture to be headquartered in India's capital, a string of other regulatory approvals are needed before the new carrier can take to the skies.

"I don't see any problems" in the new airline obtaining the clearances, aviation minister Ajit Singh told reporters after meeting Tata Sia's executives in New Delhi on Friday.

The airline, which is planning to offer full service unlike rival carriers, which are mainly no-frills, needs a "no-objection certificate" from the aviation ministry.

The airline, which will have an initial combined investment of $100 million from the two stakeholders, marks the third foreign direct investment in the aviation sector since the government declared last year international airlines could buy as much as 49 percent of local carriers.

The Tata Group is setting up another airline venture in India with Malaysia-based budget carrier AirAsia, which is expected to start operations early in 2014.

The government has also cleared the way for Abu Dhabi-based Etihad to pick up a stake in Indian private carrier Jet Airways.

India's aviation sector was once celebrated as a sign of the country's vibrant economy.

Its fortunes faded owing to a range of obstacles ranging from aggressive fare rivalry and rundown infrastructure to expensive fuel, but there now is renewed interest as investors eye the nation's vast aviation market and growing middle class.

- AFP/xq
source: CNA
 
#702 ·
Was lucky enough to be able to attend the Silkair event Bringing Boeing Home to celebrate the 25th anniversary as well as the delivery of their first 737-800

"Boarding Pass" to the event. We can bring a guest


Food and Beverages just like the ones on-board being served


During the landing party on the 8th, Silkair CEO was there


Consolation prize: Model of Boeing 737-800 9V-MGA in the special livery


Every participant got this cert
 
#704 ·
^^
Thanks ZNaseer.

Judging from the pics when Silkair took delivery of the plane few days ago, the livery on the real plane is nothing special, just the standard current livery.
I hope I get to try the new bird soon, despite the disappointment that they will lack PTV ;)
 
#708 ·
The plane is scheduled to arrive on the 12th of February at 1145. So those spotters might want to catch her.

Official Silkair statement has said that the airplane will feature a special 25th anniversary livery.

http://apps.singaporeairshow.com/EP...BaXIgQm9laW5nIDczNy04MDAgTWVkaWEgVG91ci5wZGY=

I guess it will be applied on the aircraft between 12-14th of February and it should be a relatively quick sticker job?
 
#707 ·
^^ That'll be great! I wonder if Silk Air will get more B737s aside from the 50 it has ordered so far... and by the way, are there any more destinations in Southeast Asia that MI would like to serve soon?
 
#709 ·
There are two that have been announced: Kalibo and Mandalay,
but I think few more are in the pipeline.
And they ordered 54 planes, with IIRC options on 14 more.


The plane is scheduled to arrive on the 12th of February at 1145. So those spotters might want to catch her.

Official Silkair statement has said that the airplane will feature a special 25th anniversary livery.

http://apps.singaporeairshow.com/EP...BaXIgQm9laW5nIDczNy04MDAgTWVkaWEgVG91ci5wZGY=

I guess it will be applied on the aircraft between 12-14th of February and it should be a relatively quick sticker job?
Interesting. Too bad can't be in Changi at that time.... :(
 
#710 ·
News from CNA.

SIA, Airbus to set up flight training centre in S'pore
POSTED: 12 Feb 2014 10:32


Singapore Airlines and Airbus will set up a joint-venture flight training centre in Singapore that is scheduled to start operations towards the end of this year. The planned Airbus Asia Training Centre (AATC) will be 55-percent owned by Airbus and 45-percent owned by SIA.

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines and Airbus will set up a joint-venture flight training centre in Singapore that is scheduled to start operations towards the end of this year.

The planned Airbus Asia Training Centre (AATC) will be 55-percent owned by Airbus and 45-percent owned by SIA.

The two parties will contribute an initial S$80 million to set up the training centre, which will be equipped with flight simulators for aircraft such as the Airbus A320, A350 and A380.

AATC will initially operate from the SIA Training Centre near Changi Airport before moving to Seletar Aerospace Park when a dedicated facility is completed.

Airbus' other training centres are located in Beijing, Miami and Toulouse.

- CNA/xq
source: CNA
 
#713 ·
^^
They will have the streaming system though.
I talked with some of the pilots at the Event, and they said they have heard quite some people complaining about that.

Btw, looks like the "special" livery is a temporary one because it was done quickly after the bird arrived here. And, it matches the diecast :D :D
 
#717 ·
^^
If you have been following the news, the BYOD model is exactly what Silkair will be using. They are now running a trial on one of their A320, and the 738s have it, but not yet activated, I guess pending the trial result.
 
#724 ·
Tata SIA airline venture aims for first flight in October


New Delhi: Tata SIA Airlines Ltd , the joint venture between Tata Sons Ltd and Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA), expects to start flights in India in the Hindu festive month of October, having secured a no-objection certificate from the aviation ministry to begin operations.
The airline plans to launch flights in early October, a person familiar with the plan said on condition of anonymity.
The airline was granted a no-objection certificate by the aviation ministry last week—the most critical step in the process of obtaining an airline permit from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It secured approvals from the home ministry and the foreign investment promotion board earlier.
Tata SIA Airlines will join Air India Ltd, Jet Airways (India) Ltd, IndiGo, SpiceJet Ltd, GoAir and Air Costa in India’s airline industry.
It will time its entry with the start of what is traditionally the most profitable period for airlines in India. The October-December quarter, which includes festivals like Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas and the year-end vacations, is peak travel season.
The grant of an airline permit by the DGCA can take more than three months and is subject to the airline having in place the required technical capabilities, staff strength, engineering set-up, and operational and security procedures.
The airline has said it will soon send its application to the DGCA for an airline licence.
The airline is working on multiple elements simultaneously under its new chief executive officer-designate Phee Teik Yeoh, who moved to India from Singapore Airlines late last year for the joint venture.
Yeoh is supervising a 20-member Tata SIA Airlines team from a hotel suite in Gurgaon, on the outskirts of Delhi, as the company searches for office space that’s close to Indira Gandhi International Airport’s swank Terminal 3, which will be the airline’s hub.
Tata Sons, the holding company of the $109 billion Tata group, has a 51% stake in the airline and Singapore Airlines the remainder. The joint venture entails an initial investment of $100 million. Most of the top level hiring is almost over. Most positions critical to the airline will be filled by personnel from existing Tata group companies and Singapore Airlines.
These include chief financial officer Niyant Maru, ex-CFO at Tata Realty and Infrastructure Ltd. Chief human resources officer Varadarajan Srinivasan has moved from Tata Teleservices Ltd. The position of legal head is sill open.
Positions relating to airline expertise have been filled by personnel from Singapore Airlines. Besides Yeoh, senior vice-president for operations Roshan Joshi has moved from Singapore Airlines.
The airline is also hiring a chief strategy officer, whose name is yet to be made public because the person is still serving the notice period in another airline.
The airline has made offers to senior pilots, who typically have a longer notice period of six months to serve to join another airline.
Since the airline will be using the Airbus A320s, 20 of them on lease to start with, it is likely to source most of its technical workforce like pilots and engineers from IndiGo, Air India and GoAir, which use the same aircraft.
In pilot recruitment, Tata SIA Airlines will be competing with Etihad Airways PJSC, which has started hiring A320 pilots from India, promising them a promotion to flying bigger jets like the Airbus A380 and Airbus A330 besides better perks as inducements, according to a person who was present for these interviews in Gurgaon in March and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Tata SIA Airlines is also conducting a so-called a product service positioning study of Air India, Jet Airways and also no-frills airline IndiGo to see how it can improve on them.
Tata SIA will also offer in-flight entertainment systems, a choice of meals, a loyalty programme and lounge services to passengers.
To be sure, full-service airlines have had it rough in the Indian market so far.
Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines Ltd won many awards internationally and locally for its five-star services, but was eventually grounded in October 2012 under the weight of heavy debt and accumulated losses.
Its first full fiscal year loss was Rs.577 crore in 2006-07. By 2012-13, its annual loss widened to Rs.4,301 crore. Its accumulated losses ballooned from Rs.1,200 crore to Rs.16,023 crore in the same period.
An analyst said the initial years will be a honeymoon period for Tata SIA, like for other airline start-ups.
“Tata SIA will see a honeymoon period for one to three years like Kingfisher Airlines did and then financials will start telling the real story of how the airline was executed,” said New York-based former Jet Airways CEO Steve Forte. “The more efficient the management, the longer the honeymoon.”
 
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