Monday, February 11, 2013

End of long haul flights and its impact on the crew.

Come October, the snake of 2013 will swallow up the long haul SQ non-stop flights to New York and Los Angeles and put an end to its operation. All the 5 A345 aircraft which are currently being used will be a "trade-in" for the new 20 A350 aircraft which SIA has ordered from Airbus.
The prime reason for the intended cessation of the non stop flight is financial. SIA has been losing money on this operation since its inception in 2004. SIA has never disclosed how much it has lost but according to experts the sum is huge.

As for the pilots the result will be painful. At first the co-pilots were asked to go on no pay leave and just two months ago, the captains were asked to do the same.
Last month, SIA announced that 76 of its expat pilots would be asked to leave.
Currently, SIA has a total of 2,300 pilots, of which 75% are Singaporeans.
This cost cutting measure is the result of slow growth and a surplus of pilots. The cessation of the A345 flights will give the pilots a greater headache.

Will the flight attendants suffer the same fate as the pilots? The answer is no!
There is always a shortage of flight attendants. The reason is the attrition rate is high, roughly 1% (75) of the total force of 7,500 FAs leave SIA every month.
In fact, SIA finds it very difficult to get the right people for the job. SIA conducts FAs recruitment almost every month in Singapore,not to mention the occasional interviews overseas.

This afternoon I had lunch with an ex crew who still has good connection with the flying crew. He told me the no pay leave scheme did not receive good response from the pilots and it will be a matter of time some of them will be retrenched.
He also told me a few pilots have left SIA and flying for some other airlines.

The cessation of the long haul non stop flights this coming October will make matter worse for the pilots.

We will just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope that business will get better for the airline industry as a whole and SIA in particular so that nobody will have to be retrenched.


Anonymous said...

The how lian pilots deserve it. Want free food and behave like LORDS on board by pushing the cabin crew. Now kena chiat lat.

Anonymous said...

Some pilots left SQ to fly for budget airlines for smaller pay packet.

1694 FWD said...

Inflight services, cabin crew division needs total review and revamp.

Cabin crew's idea for inflight service is outdated and unproductive.
To fix a cup of standard tea requires numerous steps and components are located all over the galley.

Meal carts are archaic and brakes fail. Too many components on a standard lunch/dinner tray. Here lies the best opportunity to improve efficiency but many departments refuse to give way.

Inflight Services under marketing do not see eye to eye. Cabin crew division stuck in time with either old middle aged, pot bellied managers or inexperienced executives hanging on just to be associated with a has been Fortune 500 company.

Its too late. The inflection point was passed more than 10 years ago when 747 was dying off.

Procedures & equipment mismatched.
Initiatives discouraged
Initiatives robbed by promotion hungry colleagues/superioirs
Uninspired labour representatives
Punishment hungry managers
Clueless SVP blinded by balding managers.

Better to sell the shares...

Jacky said...

Always save for rainy days...

Creampuff said...

Anonymous@pilot free food: "Pilots expect free food? Do you expect pilots to pay for their meals onboard? When the passengers get free meals? When the FAs get free meals? How exactly do you want it to work?

Anonymous said...

Pilots can eat to their hearts' content but don't push the cabin crew into serving them like maids.

anti-management said...


Install an oven, chiller and load trays for them in the cockpit or build a separate stand alone galley near the cockpit for them.

They can check their own meals,drinks hot or cold and a whole tray of hot or cold or dry towels for their own pleasure.. and oh!.. supply them all the magazines for the entire SQ network and all possible types of newspapers.

No space?.. take a look at the pilot's rest area.. certainly can squeeze in all this stuff.

Yes, include a very large waste bin too for them to dispose the abundant shit they churn out.
They can also board / disembark from a separate entrance and their own transport... they dislike waiting for cabin crew anyway... and reluctant to contribute to tips.

They like to claim that when working on cargo flights they did everything themsleves... so suddenly with passenger flights they become invalids.

Why this attitude?.. becos management created it.

Anonymous said...

I am an ex-cabin crew. It is unfair and childish to run down the pilots like that. There's always black sheep everywhere, cabin crew included. Majority of the pilots are friendly and genuine, unlike some of the cabin crew. I still work in STC. When you point an accusing finger at someone, remember 3 of those fingers are pointing back at you.

Stories said...

3 fingers poking into your eyes, you mean?

Anonymous said...

then let the cabin crew do their own flying la ok. so shallow