Singapore Airlines will retire its remaining Boeing 737-800s by the end of March 2026, as it prepares for a ramp-up deliveries of the 737 Max 8.
In fleet plans disclosed during its annual results briefing, the Star Alliance operator confirms the last four -800s will be leaving the fleet at the end of its lease.
Data from fleet analytics provider Cirium shows that these four jets are 9V-MGK, - MGL, MGM and -MGM, all of which are on operating leases from lessor Deucalion Aviation.
SIA deploys the -800 on short-haul flights to neighbouring Malaysia and Thailand, as well as to Kathmandu in Nepal, according to its schedules.
The airline inherited the -800s as part of its merger with regional unit SilkAir.
Plans to replace the older narrowbodies with the Max 8s were affected by the latter’s grounding in 2019. Even after the grounding was lifted, deliveries were impacted by production delays at Boeing.
SIA’s current fleet plans indicate that alongside the exit of the -800s, the mainline operator will be taking delivery of five Max 8s – its largest batch since the lifting of the grounding more than three years ago.
Apart from the Max 8s, SIA will take delivery of two 787-10s during the current financial year, which ends 31 March 2026. Low-cost unit Scoot will see a significant increase in deliveries – 15 new aircraft comprising five Airbus A320neos, three A321neos, four Embraer E190 E2s, as well as three 787s.
Scoot chief Leslie Thng, who was speaking at the briefing on 16 May, says the airline had deferred some deliveries during the Covid-19 pandemic, and so would be taking delivery of these aircraft now.
