Singapore Airlines to quit the Last 4 Boeing 737s

dailyblitz.de 5 hours ago

SINGAPORE- World’s Best Carrier, Singapore Airlines (SQ), has confirmed it will retire its last four Boeing 737-800 aircraft by March 2026. These jets, once operated by SilkAir (MI), have become increasingly outdated, limiting Singapore Airlines’ ability to offer consistent onboard amenities across its fleet.

With the withdrawal of the Boeing 737-800, all Singapore Airlines (SQ) aircraft will feature full-flat Business Class seats and fleet-wide Wi-Fi, Milelion flagged. The replacements, Boeing 737-8 MAX jets, will begin arriving by the end of the 2025/26 financial year, advancing the airline’s modernization goals at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

Singapore Airlines’ Retiring Boeing 737s

Singapore Airlines has officially scheduled the retirement of its final four Boeing 737-800s by 31 March 2026, marking the end of an era for its short-haul narrow-body operations.

These aircraft — registered 9V-MGK, 9V-MGL, 9V-MGM, and 9V-MGN — were initially delivered to SilkAir in 2015 and transitioned into the SIA fleet in 2021.

While they served as a stopgap measure, the aircraft offered a notably inferior product: no seatback screens, no Wi-Fi, and outdated Business Class seats without lie-flat capability. Their cabin refresh was minimal, with only new seat upholstery added, leaving the experience far behind current SIA standards.

The withdrawal will be phased, with the final scheduled flight on 25 October 2025, ahead of lease termination in January 2026. The process requires advanced removal from operational duty for aircraft preparation and return.

To replace the 737-800s, Singapore Airlines plans to receive five Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft before the financial year ends. This will bring the airline’s total 737-8 fleet to 21 aircraft, supporting regional operations with improved passenger amenities such as full-flat Business Class seats, seatback entertainment, and Wi-Fi.

These aircraft have not seen new additions since November 2022, and the upcoming deliveries will help unify SIA’s product across its short- and medium-haul network.

The outdated B737-800s restricted Singapore Airlines’ ability to market its service as fully modernized. Routes flown by these jets did not meet SIA’s standard claims of “every Business Class seat a flat bed” and “100% Wi-Fi coverage.”

Despite being just under a decade old, these aircraft felt older due to their interiors. Interestingly, other aircraft in the SIA fleet are even older—like the Boeing 777-300ERs (average age: 12.2 years, oldest: 18.5 years) and Airbus A380s (average age: 10.9 years, oldest: 14.6 years)—yet offer far more modern passenger experiences.

Current Routes Operated by 737

As of May 2025, the Boeing 737-800s primarily serve two routes:

Kathmandu (KTM): Flight SQ442/441
Penang (PEN): Flights SQ132/131 and SQ136/135

Occasional appearances are also seen on:

Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Phuket (HKT)
Hanoi (HAN)

The Kathmandu route, at just over five hours, represents the longest stretch for the aircraft and underscores the lack of in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi for passengers on these flights

Bottom Line

Singapore Airlines is set to remove the last relics of the SilkAir era with the phase-out of the Boeing 737-800 fleet. These aircraft, which lacked the modern comforts found elsewhere in SIA’s network, will be replaced with 737-8 MAX jets, aligning the entire fleet with the airline’s premium service standards.

This strategic move reinforces Singapore Airlines’ commitment to offering a consistent, high-quality travel experience, completing a transition that began years ago with the SilkAir integration.

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.

Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News

Singapore Airlines Ends World’s Longest One Stop Flight Route

The post Singapore Airlines to Retire the Last Four Boeing 737s appeared first on Aviation A2Z.

Read Entire Article