Aviation

Singapore Airlines Selects Airbus For A380 Retrofit Programme

Airbus has been selected by Singapore Airlines (SIA) to provide cabin retrofit services for 14 A380 aircraft currently in service with the carrier. The retrofit programme, which will be undertaken at SIA Engineering Company in Singapore, will see the airline’s recently launched cabin products installed on the aircraft. The new cabin products will debut on five new A380s to be delivered this year and next year.

Under the agreement, Services by Airbus will be responsible for Service Bulletin (SB) and aircraft cabin parts-kit delivery. Its teams will also contribute their A380 design knowledge and engineering expertise to integrate SIA’s customised cabin fittings into the A380’s spacious double-deck interior. The retrofit work is expected to start in late 2018, with all 14 aircraft scheduled for completion by 2020.

Singapore Airlines’ new A380 cabin offers more personal space in all classes. The aircraft will accommodate a total of 471 passengers, with six private Suites and 78 Business Class seats on the upper deck and 44 Premium Economy Class and 343 Economy Class seats on the main deck.

“We are very pleased to have been selected by Singapore Airlines to integrate its new A380 cabin, which will offer its passengers the best and latest on-board products,” said Laurent Martinez, Head of Services by Airbus. “Singapore Airlines’ trust in our retrofit competencies is a positive sign for the development of our services business, in particular in the fast growing Asia-Pacific region.”

Airbus’ Global Market Forecast projects that over the next 20 years the commercial aircraft upgrades services market will be worth US$180 billion, driven in part by high competition between airlines who value the ‘passenger experience’ as a differentiator (comfort, connectivity etc.), as well as systems upgrades. Notably, 38 per cent of this demand will come from the Asia-Pacific region.

Related Topics:airbus Cabin Singapore Airlines

Aviation

DOT Penalizes Lufthansa $4 Million for Stopping Jewish Passengers From Boarding

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has imposed a $4 million penalty on Lufthansa for discriminating against Jewish passengers traveling from New York City to Budapest via Frankfurt in May 2022. The incident marked the largest civil rights fine ever levied by the DOT against an airline.

The case stems from an incident where Lufthansa denied 128 Jewish passengers — most of whom were wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish attire — from boarding their connecting flight in Germany.

China Airlines eyes new aircraft order for 777X and A350-1000

The airline’s actions were based on the alleged misconduct of a few individuals during the first leg of the journey from John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA). However, many of those passengers did not know each other or travel as a group. DOT investigators found that Lufthansa treated them as a single entity, barring them from their connecting flight to Budapest (BUD) for the actions of a few.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the department’s commitment to protecting passengers’ rights. “No one should face discrimination when they travel, and today’s action sends a clear message to the airline industry that we are prepared to investigate and take action whenever passengers’ civil rights are violated,” he said. Buttigieg added that DOT’s increased enforcement efforts aim to ensure airlines treat all passengers with fairness and dignity.

This aircraft won’t need a runway

The investigation began after DOT received over 40 complaints from Jewish passengers affected by the incident. Despite some passengers failing to follow crew instructions on the first flight, lufthansa business lounge newark did not specifically identify any noncompliant individuals.

Instead, the airline placed a blanket hold on the tickets of over 100 passengers, preventing them from continuing their journey. lufthansa airways acknowledged that this approach could lead to excluding compliant passengers but deemed it impractical to address each case individually.