Scoot’s First A321neo Aircraft Takes Flight to Bangkok

Scoot, the low-cost arm of Singapore Airlines, today welcomed the entry into service of its new single-aisle Airbus A321neo aircraft, as it made its inaugural flight from Singapore to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi as TR610.

TR610 departed Singapore at 1524hrs on 28 June 2021 and arrived in Bangkok at 1639hrs the same day, all times local. The return flight TR611 departed Bangkok at 1733hrs on 28 June 2021 and arrive in Singapore at 2129hrs the same day, all times local.

Subsequently in August, Scoot will deploy the A321neo on its Singapore-Cebu and Singapore-Ho Chi Minh City routes. Scoot’s A321neo aircraft feature 236 seats in a single-class, 3-3 configuration.

Benefits of the A321neo

Scoot’s A321neo aircraft has a range of up to 2,620 nautical miles (nm), or 4,852 km, approximately 270nm farther than the A320neo. This allows Scoot to deploy the A321neo aircraft on short to medium-haul routes with up to six hours of flight time compared to the older-generation A320 aircraft’s four-to-five hours, thereby opening up more options for new destinations.

With a larger passenger capacity of 236 seats, 50 more than the A320neo, and more fuel-efficient engines, the single-class A321neo will allow Scoot to improve its operating economics and unit costs. It will also enable Scoot to optimise its fleet utilisation to better match capacity to demand.

For instance, it can be deployed in place of the A320 during popular seasons, days of week or flight tranches, or substitute Scoot’s larger Boeing 787 aircraft in pockets of softer demand. It can also be deployed to complement some Boeing 787 routes to enable higher and more customer-convenient frequency.

The new A321neo aircraft also underscore Scoot’s commitment to offering customers a more comfortable and improved travel experience, through features such as premium black leather seats, amply-sized overhead compartment bins, ambient lighting technologies that reduce jetlag, improved air quality, and reduced noise emissions.

In the long term, the A321neo will enable Scoot to achieve more sustainable operations and reduce carbon emissions with its enhanced sharklets and fuel-efficient Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines. Based on pre-COVID levels of operations, there is an estimated 50% reduction in noise footprint and nitrogen oxide emissions, as well as a reduction of 5,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide per year per aircraft.

Campbell Wilson, Scoot’s CEO, said, “Scoot’s brand new A321neo aircraft offers additional capacity and range, unlocking new network growth possibilities for Scoot while enabling us to elevate the passenger experience for Thai customers in a commercially viable manner. Investing in new-generation aircraft and operating a young, fuel-efficient fleet is a cornerstone of Scoot’s strategy to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Combined with our recent achievement as the world’s first and only low-cost carrier to attain the highest Diamond status in the APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying global audit of airlines, Scoot is on a firm footing to recover and re-establish ourselves as the low-cost carrier of choice in the region for post-pandemic travel.”

Anand Stanley, President Airbus Asia-Pacific said, “The arrival of the A321neo at Scoot marks another milestone in the close relationship we share with the Singapore Airlines Group. With the A321neo, Scoot will be able to increase capacity and open new routes across the Asian region. The aircraft will bring new levels of efficiency with significantly reduced fuel consumption, as well as lower emissions. We are confident that the A321neo will position Scoot well for the recovery in air travel. See you onboard soon!”

Scoot fleet

To date, Scoot has taken delivery of three A321neo aircraft, leased from BOC Aviation, out of a firm order of 16. Of the 16, six are an upsize from Scoot’s original A320neo orders and ten are leased. Since the start of the previous financial year 2020/2021, five A320ceo aircraft had left Scoot’s operating fleet as part of an ongoing fleet renewal plan.

Scoot now has 29 single-aisle aircraft in its operating fleet – 21 A320ceo, five A320neo, and three A321neo, with 28 A320neo and 13 A321neo remaining on order. These are in addition to 20 widebody Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet, with seven remaining on order. The average age of Scoot’s fleet is now five years and 10 months.

Scoot’s Thailand services

Currently, Scoot is operating 11-times-weekly services between Singapore and Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi). Due to the pandemic, Scoot is resuming its services in a safe and calibrated manner. Scoot plans to resume its other Thailand services – Singapore-Chiang Mai; Singapore-Hat Yai; Singapore-Krabi; and Singapore-Bangkok-Tokyo – in due time when the time and conditions are right.

Photos of Scoot’s A321neo aircraft can be downloaded here: https://bit.ly/3A08c9B.