Singapore low-cost operator Scoot says it has grounded none of its Airbus A320neos owing to supply chain issues affecting the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine, and has no intention of extending leases for its A320ceos.
Scoot chief executive Leslie Thng says that the carrier is facing “no major issues” with its Pratt PW1100G powered A320neos, and that it will continue to add capacity to its network.
“At the moment we do not plan to extend the leases of the A320ceos, and we still plan to retire them by the end of 2025,” says Thng, who was speaking during a results briefing for Scoot’s parent, Singapore Airlines.
“We have 15 A320/A321neos and none of them are actually grounded, and we are expecting to take more deliveries in the coming years,” says Thng.
Cirium fleets data indicates that Scoot operates 16 A320ceos, as well as 10 787-8s and 10 787-9s. It has orders for an additional A320/A321neos, and in 2024 will start taking nine Embraer 190-E2s from lessor Azorra, making it Southeast Asia’s first E2 operator.
During the briefing, SIA’s executive vice president of operations, Mak Swee Wah, also shed some light on SIA’s shuffling of its orderbook with Boeing, which saw it cancel eight 737 Max 8s, while swapping three 787-9s for three -10s.
“[The decision] is completely network-driven,” says Mak. “The 787-10 is a bigger aircraft. We are basically increasing seat count on certain missions. It’s a view on how we think demand will grow.”
SIA uses the 737 Max 8 and 787-10 on regional routes in the Asia-Pacific, while Scoot operates 787-9s on its longer haul destinations.
SIA chief executive Goo Choon Phong also touched on Scoot’s plans to operate the E190-E2, which will be the smallest aircraft in the SIA Group’s fleet.
“For some of the markets in our region, which is fast developing and offers huge potential, we don’t have the right airplane,” says Goh. “So the question is whether those markets are there, and whether we think they are commercially viable, and in this case we do think so.”
Scoot’s Thng adds that in addition to opening smaller markets that cannot take an A320neo with 186 seats, the 112-seat E190-E2s will be used to add frequencies on existing routes in Southeast Asia.
