Singapore Airlines is set to scrap two of its previously retired Airbus A380 aircraft in its home city. According to FlightGlobal, parts from the two jets, and a Boeing 777-200ER jet, will be used as spares for the airline’s remaining fleet. Singapore Airlines has retired 12 of its A380 jets, leaving it with 12 jets, although none are currently operational.
While nowhere near Emirates’ impressive 123 firm orders for the Airbus A380, Singapore was the second-largest Airbus A380 customer by a margin of ten aircraft. German flag carrier Lufthansa came third with its order of 14 jets which are unlikely to return to the skies.
Two A380s to be scrapped in Singapore
Singapore Airlines was the first airline to retire the Airbus A380, with five aircraft leaving the fleet after a decade in service. Around a year ago, the airline revealed that a further seven aircraft wouldn’t be returning to service with the rest of the fleet following the fleet’s return.
According to FlightGlobal, two of the aircraft that won’t return to service as 9V-SKG and 9V-SKH. According to the publication, the airline’s engineering division will turn the two aircraft into spare parts at the Changi Exhibition Centre adjacent to Singapore Changi Airport. A third aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER registered as 9V-SQJ, will meet a similar fate.
It is expected to take around two months to turn the aircraft into spare parts and recyclable/upcyclable materials. Singapore Airlines will use the spare parts to maintain the airline’s other Airbus A380 aircraft. This could include the Trent 900 engines, landing gear, cockpit components, seats, and more. More of the aircraft will go to Singapore Airlines’ recently launched upcycling project.
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About the aircraft being scrapped
According to data from ch-aviation.com, the two Airbus A380s set to be scrapped are among the oldest in the Singapore Airlines fleet and the global Airbus A380 fleet, for that matter. 9V-SKG carries the serial number 019 and first flew on November 7th, 2008. As such, the aircraft is now almost 13 years old. The jet has clocked 51,391 flight hours across 6,540 flight cycles and has a current market value of $34.38 million.
The story is relatively similar with 9V-SKH, bearing serial number 021. The plane first flew the same year on December 10th. Since then, it has flown slightly less, amassing 50,284 hours across 6,368 cycles. It is listed with the same value as SKG.
The Boeing 777-200ER set to be scrapped is significantly older. Having first flown on May 30th, 2002, it is now 19.35 years old. The jet has completed 61,688 flight hours across 15,796 flight cycles. With 391 economy seats and 24 premium economy seats, the aircraft was primarily used for shorter flights and is listed with a value of $8.71 million.
Few Airbus A380s actually scrapped
By now, most people know that the majority of the global Airbus A380 fleet is inactive. However, only a handful have actually been scrapped to date. Most of these jets also came from the Singapore Airlines fleet.
9V-SKA, 9V-SKB, and 9V-SKE have all been scrapped at Tarbes in France. Like SKG and SKH, they have also been upcycled in part, with Aviationtag turning fuselage from each into a limited edition run of tags for bags and keys. Air France’s F-HPJB has also been scrapped in Knock, Ireland, following its last commercial flight in late 2019.
What do you make of Singapore Airlines’ decision to scrap two more of its Airbus A380s? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!
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