Aviation

Thailand-bound flight returns to Singapore after alleged bomb threat

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Two Singapore fighter jets escorted a civilian plane bound for Thailand safely back to the city-state on Thursday after a bomb threat by a passenger that turned out to be a false alarm.

After searching the plane and the baggage of the person that made the threat and his two traveling companions, police said no such threat was found.

Three passengers were assisting police with their investigations, they said. Scoot, the budget carrier of Singapore Airlines, said that all 173 passengers and six crew aboard the Airbus A320 were safe and that the flight TR634 would resume its journey to Hat Yai in the evening.

Singapore has a near-perfect record of keeping its shores free of terror, but it has markedly stepped up efforts to deter militancy in recent years with more frequent attacks on Western countries and after Islamic State militants briefly took over a town in the southern Philippines last year.

Singapore’s defence minister said in a Facebook post that two F-15SG fighter jets had immediately responded to the threat when alerted by the pilot and escorted the plane from the South China Sea back to Changi airport.

“For our RSAF pilots who are on stand-by duties 24/7, every threat is considered real until proven otherwise,” said Ng Eng Hen.

A Scoot staff member at the airline’s check-in desk at Changi told Reuters that the incident had caused some delays to flights which had since been cleared up.

Related Topics:Bomb threat Fly scoot singapore

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.