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Scoot’s longer-range narrowbodies should prompt AirAsia aircraft re-allocation
August 2nd 2019
New A321neos for Scoot show fleet interchangeability, lacking in AirAsia group. Read More »
Scoot will receive 16 A321neo aircraft and use them on flights up to six hours long, giving Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) LCC a spectrum of aircraft and range combinations to optimise. This should further pressure the AirAsia group’s rigid segmentation.
Scoot will be able to deploy widebodies on high-density short-haul flights and send narrowbodies on thin medium/long-haul flights. In comparison, AirAsia with few exceptions has narrowbodies serve flights under four hours while widebodies take markets over four hours.
A321 LR aircraft are being considered for AirAsia’s long-haul A330 arm, rather than short-haul unit AirAsia, which only flies the A320 family. The AirAsia group’s segmentation does not easily permit widebody usage on short-haul flights, which LCCs are increasingly finding attractive due to route density and growth constraints.
Scoot is benefiting from a single operation after SIA merged Scoot and Tigerair. In comparison, AirAsia and AirAsia X are separate companies with different shareholders that make integration challenging.
Scoot’s planned fleet of 16 A321neo aircraft comprises 10 on lease and six existing A320neo orders being up-gauged to the larger variant. Deliveries will start in the fourth quarter of 2020. Scoot’s configuration will seat 236. Cebu Pacific’s A321neo seats 236, but its future A321 LR will have 240 seats.
Separately, SIA-Thai Airways airline NokScoot has decided not to add narrowbody aircraft due to fleet complexity, chief executive Yodchai Sudhidhanakul told FlightGlobal. NokScoot planned to add 737-800s, a type flown by Nok. In August, NokScoot plans to receive two additional 777-200s, bringing its fleet to seven all-777s.
