SilkAir to Take Delivery of New Boeing 737-800

SilkAir will take delivery of the first aircraft in its new fleet of 54 Boeing 737s in early February 2014.

A total of eight planes are expected this year, with the remaining aircraft to be delivered by the end of this decade.

To meet the need for more crew and pilots with the right skills to operate and run the Boeing 737 fleet, SilkAir has invested in conversion training at Singapore’s Boeing Flight Services Training Centre to equip existing staff with the skills needed for the transition.

The first aircraft is planned to enter service from 20 February 2014, flying to destinations including Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Phuket and Medan while the arrival of the second plane will allow the addition of other routes for the new aircraft including Siem Reap, Danang, Davao, Cebu and Kochi from 17 March 2014.

To celebrate the aircraft delivery which coincides with SilkAir's 25th anniversary, the airline will roll out a host of surprises and celebrations.

For starters, to rally consumers and involve them in SilkAir’s historic Boeing delivery, the airline will bring fans and aviation lovers together to virtually deliver the new aircraft to Singapore. Tracking the actual delivery route, from the Boeing Renton factory in Seattle to Singapore’s Changi Airport via Honolulu, Majuro and Guam, the ‘Bringing Boeing Home with SilkAir’ programme is Asia’s first 25-hour flight simulator event that will allow up to 150 selected members of the public to fly a simulator SilkAir Boeing 737-800 plane into Singapore. The event will take place overnight from 7th to 8th February 2014 at Flight Experience Singapore, located at the Singapore Flyer.

SilkAir travellers will also be rewarded through special promotional deals where 250,000 tickets will be made available at special rates for consumers in Singapore and across the region.

SilkAir Chief Executive, Mr. Leslie Thng, said “Our new Boeing fleet will enable us to put the passenger at the centre of our focus, with the objective to deliver a higher level of quality and experience. Despite aggressive competition, we have maintained a strong foothold in the market as a full service regional carrier and become known for offering access to unique destinations, with genuine and thoughtful service that exemplifies true Asian hospitality. Moving forward, we will continue to improve and adapt, catering to the evolving needs of travellers in Asia. For instance, to appeal to a more well-travelled audience looking for adventure, we will focus on expanding our network to unique destinations especially in key markets such as China, India and Indonesia. We will continue to build on the last 25 years, and soar to new heights of air travel excellence.”