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While some carriers argue that As much or more than any air- a savage blow when it opted
SIA enjoys an unfair advantage line, SIA relies on the excellence for the 777-200ER to replace
owing to the fact that, while of its service product across all its A340-300s. But Airbus was
a public stock company, it is classes to attract fifth, sixth and able to smile a year later when
majority owned by the govern- seventh freedom passengers SIA turned its back on the 747X
ment through Temasek Holdings, who have multiple travel options. series, ordered the A380 and
the reality is that its long-term championed the passenger
success has had its genesis in SIA’s demands advantages of the giant jet. SIA
innovation with things such as have evolved as also gave the thumbs down to
free drinks and headsets back in Boeing’s initial 777-200X efforts
the late 1960s, satellite phones the benchmark for in 1998 and ordered the A340-
in 1991, seatback videos for all long-range perfor- 500 for its Ultra Long Range
passengers in 1995 and audio/ mance of aircraft. (ULR) requirements while it is
video on demand in 2001. as the forefront on the best the
Add to that list the world’s It canceled 20 MD-11s in 1992 industry can offer today with the
longest non-stop flight and when McDonnell Douglas and A350-900, 787-10 and 777X.
countless cabin upgrades and Pratt & Whitney could not con- Fast forward to today and
you have an airline that is a vince the airline they would Singapore Airlines has 155
global trendsetter. remedy serious shortfalls in the aircraft operating to 81 destina-
Its global strategy has been type’s range due to high fuel tions. Its wholly owned low-cost
shaped by the Singapore gov- burn. subsidiary Scoot has 56 aircraft
ernment’s embrace of open After that brutal snub McDonnell operating to 68 destinations. In
markets and its own dogged key destinations such as Europe
pursuit of investment opportu- Douglas’s MD-11 sales plum- the airline serves 12 destina-
meted which eventually forced
nities in other parts of the world tions in its own right and for the
despite a mixed record. its merger with Boeing. USA six major cities. Its biggest
And in 1999, SIA dealt Airbus market however is North Asia
where it operates to 36 centres.
Mr Goh centre with Airbus executives on the delivery of the airline’s first A350-900.
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