SilkAir
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| SilkAir | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| IATA MI |
ICAO SLK |
Callsign SILKAIR |
| Founded | 1989 (as Tradewinds) | |
| Hubs | Singapore Changi Airport | |
| Frequent flyer program | KrisFlyer | |
| Member lounge | SATS Premier Lounge | |
| Fleet size | 13 (+2 orders) | |
| Destinations | 29 | |
| Parent company | Singapore Airlines Limited | |
| Company slogan | Where the world unwinds | |
| Headquarters | Singapore | |
| Key people | Chin Yau Seng (Chief Executive Officer) | |
| Website: http://www.silkair.com | ||
SilkAir (Singapore) Private Limited is an airline based in Singapore. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and operates scheduled passenger services from Singapore to 26 cities in Southeast Asia, South Asia and China. As the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, it serves 29 out of 50 short-haul destinations in the Singapore Airlines Group network, and flew 1.56 million passengers in 2006. It made a profit of S$30 million, as turnover rose 20.4% to $415 million.[1]
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[edit] History
The airline had its roots as a regional air-charter company in the form of Tradewinds Charters, formed in 1976, and using planes predominantly leased from parent company Singapore Airlines serving leisure destinations. Scheduled services were introduced as Tradewinds Airlines on 21 February 1989 when it leased McDonnell Douglas MD-87 airplanes for services to six destinations - namely Bandar Seri Begawan, Pattaya, Phuket, Hat Yai and Kuantan from Singapore's Changi Airport and Tioman from Singapore's Seletar Airport. As the carrier matured, regional business destinations such as Jakarta, Phnom Penh and Yangon were added to its network, thereby broadening the airline's appeal beyond the holiday-maker to include the business traveller.
A major marketing overhaul was started in 1991, culminating on 1 April 1992 by giving the airline its present name and logo as a new corporate identity [2]. The rebranded airline utilised up to six of the new Boeing 737-300s introduced just a year earlier. The mid-1990s saw two Airbus A310-200 aircraft in use and the expansion of services to India and mainland China. It was the first Asian carrier to offer handheld portable video-on-demand (VOD) in-flight entertainment in the form of the DigEplayer 5500, available on flights to selected countries. [3]
[edit] Incident & accident
- On 19 December 1997, SilkAir Flight 185, operated by a Boeing 737-300 and piloted by Captain Tsu Way Ming, plunged into the Musi River in Sumatra during a routine flight from Jakarta to Singapore, killing all 104 people on board. As of 2007, officials have been unable to obtain a conclusive cause.
[edit] Destinations
- Further information: SilkAir destinations
[edit] Fleet
SilkAir began operations with leased McDonnell Douglas MD-87 aircraft in 1989, before investing in its own fleet of six Boeing 737-300s, the first of which began operations in 1991. It operated two Airbus A310-200s for a brief period from 1993 to 1995 before they were transferred to Singapore Airlines, and two Fokker F70 from 1995 to 2000. It began replacing its Boeing fleet with Airbus aircraft when the first Airbus A320-200 arrived in 1998, and retired all Boeing aircraft a year later. [4]
Today, the SilkAir fleet, with an average of 5.5 years in operation, consists of the following aircraft [5]:
| Aircraft | In fleet | Order | Option | Engine | Seat Configuration | Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-132 | 6 | 0 | 0 | IAE V2524-A5 | 4 Aircraft at118 (J12/Y106) 2 Aircraft at 120 (J8/Y112) |
Short haul | |
| Airbus A320-232 | 5 | 0 | 0 | IAE V2527-A5 | 142 (J16/Y126) | Short haul | |
| Airbus A320-233 | 3 | 11 | 9 | IAE V2527-A5 | 1 Aircraft at 142 (J16/Y126) 2 Aircraft at 144 (J12/Y132) |
Short haul | Deliveries: 2009-2012 |
| Total | 14 | 11 | 9 |
On 20 December 2006, SilkAir signed an agreement to purchase 11 Airbus A320-200 aircraft with 9 more on option. These aircraft will be delivered between 2009-2012 [6].
[edit] Services
[edit] Cabins
There are only two classes of cabins available on all flights of SilkAir - Business and Economy Class.
[edit] Business Class
Business class cabins are available on all flights of SilkAir. The business-class cabins offer a seat pitch of 40 inches, and legroom of 19.3 inches.
[edit] Economy Class
All economy class cabins have a seat pitch of 32 inches and legroom of 11 inches.
[edit] In-flight
[edit] Dining
SilkAir offers oriental and western menus which emphasis on flavours of the region. Local delights such as Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, mee siam and mee rebus are available at selected flights.
[edit] Entertainment
SilkAir uses DigEplayer, a handheld device, as its in-flight entertainment. Interested passengers travelling on economy class in selected flights may rent the DigEplayer on board for a fee of S$15 per person. DigEplayers are complimentary for all business-class passengers flying on selected routes. [7]
[edit] Codeshare partners
[edit] References
- ^ "SilkAir passenger numbers up 25%", The Straits Times, 16 March 2007.
- ^ SilkAir website - New corporate identity
- ^ SilkAir: SilkAir Experience - Inflight Entertainment
- ^ Historic Fleets of SilkAir
- ^ SilkAir fleet
- ^ SilkAir website - Airbus orders
- ^ "Inflight Entertainment," SilkAir
[edit] External links
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