SInGAPORE_AIR From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 13606 posts, RR: 25 Posted (1 year 6 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 8217 times:
A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 is just leaving gate A10 from Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 3.
Not only is this a celebration of Singapore Airlines' desire to offer Travel In A New Light, but flight SQ636 has been timed to conincide with celebrations at Tokyo Narita Airport which celebrates 30 years of operation.
The inauguration of A380 operations to Tokyo is an example of SIA's "40 years of dedicated service to the Japanese market", said Mr. Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines' Executive Vice-President Marketing and the Regions.
11 or 12 passengers are flying in the Singapore Airlines Suites. While it doesn't seem full, New Economy Class passengers will experience greater comfort. 60 passengers are occupying New Business Class. The latter two cabins also exude the aura of The Romance of Travel.
SQ638 to Tokyo did not operate (19 May). From today, SQ638 and SQ637 will be operated by the Airbus A380 daily.
The next announced destination to receive the Singapore Airlines A380 will be Beijing.
JumboForever From France, joined Jul 2005, 197 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7291 times:
I'm wondering why they choose to divert to NGO while most of the flights arrived at NRT more or less on time.
Weather was very windy this morning but it got better around 9am.
Maybe to allow for better video and photo coverage? Or maybe SQ didn't want bad publicity after a 'hard' touchdown on a bad weather or something.
Notice that SQ637 NRT-SIN is still scheduled on time at 1300.
KELPkid From United States, joined Nov 2005, 4159 posts, RR: 8 Reply 13, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 7086 times:
Quoting Singapore_Air (Reply 9): Well yes, but not for Singapore Airlines! It could mean potentially lost media exposure which is very very unfortunate.
Should have used 9V-SKD, MSN #8.... Remember, 8 is a very lucky number in Asia
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
NCB From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 6786 times:
The video says that the party's been cancelled due to the A380 diverting to NGO.
Other 14 flights have diverted to other airports due to the bad weather.
The A380 is expected to leave for NRT later in the day when weather improves.
Some guys came from very far to watch the A380 at NRT.
Airbazar From United States, joined Sep 2003, 3922 posts, RR: 9 Reply 16, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 6478 times:
Quoting JumboForever (Reply 11): Maybe to allow for better video and photo coverage? Or maybe SQ didn't want bad publicity after a 'hard' touchdown on a bad weather or something.
With such a small fleet they really can't affort any unnecessary risks.
AustrianZRH From Austria, joined Aug 2007, 547 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 6458 times:
If the PIC thinks there might be a safety risk due to weather in NRT, he diverts, period. And that's the right thing to do, I may add!
It's good to see that PR didn't overrule a safety related descision by the A380's pilot, despite the flight being the first one to a new destination.
As a side remark, NGO spotters must be on now .
WARNING! The post above should be taken with a grain of salt! Furthermore, it may be slightly biased towards A.
Although those are very strong gusts, it's RIGHT down the runway (16L/16R), so I'm surprised they at least didn't make an attempt? Perhaps it's the airlines/aircrafts limitations but it's not like that's a crosswind.
Centrair From Japan, joined Jan 2005, 3342 posts, RR: 10 Reply 19, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 5772 times:
Quoting JumboForever (Reply 11): I'm wondering why they choose to divert to NGO while most of the flights arrived at NRT more or less on time.
In January there is commonly at least one time where NRT gets snowed in. Since they do not have de-icing and snow removal equipment (never really get any more than a few centimeters) planes are diverted to other locations. We have had CO's EWR-NRT flight and AA's DFW-NRT flight at NGO due to weather issues in NRT.
Japan is also getting hit with some crazy weather. We have a typhoon off of Tokyo and some strange winds from Siberia. It all mixes in northern Japan. NGO was a light rain in the morning and clear and warm in the afternoon.
Also NGO is the closest airport to NRT with the ability to support an A380.
Quoting AustrianZRH (Reply 17): As a side remark, NGO spotters must be on cloud 9 now
We sure would be if it weren't a weekday. When the 747LCF comes in the observation deck is packed. This morning NGO was rainy with fair visibility. Not the best for photos but I can tell you I would love to have been there.
When NGO opened they built the taxi-ways wide enough for the A380 and included on gate that can support it (double gate but not double deck and a slightly larger box) just in case of a diversion. We will probably never see regular A380 flights at NGO but we will see diversions!
Wish I could have been out there. I wonder if any of the other 5 A.netters in the area went out there.
[Edited 2008-05-20 06:03:31]
Yes...I am not a KIX fan. Let's Japanese Aviation!
Warren747sp From United States, joined Feb 2004, 1007 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 4849 times:
I thought these new state of the art plane can fly themselves and land thru bad weather. I believe the all the 744 landed at NRT on the same day. Perhaps they are careful with their new plane!
This morning we were terribly affected by the bad weather not only in the air but also on the rail to access to companies and to schools. From my nearby station trains aere stopped for 2 hours and a half.
By the way is it sure that A380 can't adapt Haneda's facility? If it's true I suppose that is no small disadvantage to B777s
and B747s, apart from that I myself want to have a look at awesome left bank of A380 made in the base-final turn on VOR/DME C approach.
Quoting Singapore_Air (Reply 9): Well yes, but not for Singapore Airlines! It could mean potentially lost media exposure which is very very unfortunate.
They'll make it up in the short jaunt to PEK.
LIghtsaber
Need to throw a party every six months to organize the place.
Airbazar From United States, joined Sep 2003, 3922 posts, RR: 9 Reply 25, posted (1 year 6 months 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 3411 times:
Quoting IFlyATA (Reply 18): Although those are very strong gusts, it's RIGHT down the runway (16L/16R), so I'm surprised they at least didn't make an attempt? Perhaps it's the airlines/aircrafts limitations but it's not like that's a crosswind.
Maybe so but what if they had blown a tire in the process? I don't imagine that A380 tires are widely available for replacement that far away from base, unlike some other aircraft type. I suspect the disruption to the schedule would be pretty significant. It's all about measuring business risk and no necessarily whether the plane can land in that weather or not.
26 Ikramerica: Not according to that chick from "You Can't Do That On Television"
27 MadameConcorde: hello all this one will be short i was on the flight I had a hard time believing that they could not land the aircraft in that weather. i have seen la
28 Ikramerica: Should have guessed you were on it! Were the other "first flighters" that were featured in the news on it too, like the man who's been in R-class on
29 Singapore_Air: Mr. Gino Bertuccio, was probably in Singapore Airlines Suites as always for the inaugural! I'm sure he's a very valued customer! I look forward to you
30 Ikramerica: I'm pretty sure the guy I'm thinking of was German or Dutch, but maybe I'm wrong? Could there be 2 men who were in R on every A380 inaugural?
31 Singapore_Air: Check your Private Messages! He's the guy that was interviewed by BBC NEWS on the SQ318 inaugural. I don't think there is anyone else who flies Singa
32 Ikramerica: I never read them. I believe in public forums being public and open, for better or worse.
33 Singapore_Air: Oh well no wonder. Anyway, in one of them I was asking why you thought the Qantas F was so bad? I remember you disliking the R and saying that the QF
34 Ikramerica: It's OT, but… The new QF F seems to have tall walls that close in on you on one side, losing the open feel, but without increasing personal space in
35 Pellegrine: Congratulations SQ! Is this the scheduled departure time? Seems rather late, I'd think 2300-2330 would be better with a 700-ish arrival in Tokyo.
36 Singapore_Air: Yeah that was a one off. To be honest, they would have been better arriving in early and possibly missing the storm. The schedule from this evening 2
37 Lightsaber: Interesting. Why the 4 hour turn time? Lightsaber
38 Singapore_Air: Dunno. It's always been like that I think. Not to wake the exNRT passengers up too early to check-in?
39 MadameConcorde: Gino was on board. Suite 2A. Only this time it was "no trespassing to forbidden zones" I mean you had to stay in your class of booking. Gino took me u
40 Aviasian: Marie, I am very surprised to hear yr opinions have not changed since our conversation onboard the flight just before it landed at NRT from NGO. I me
41 NCB: Hey I read in the Ota-ku journal that in about 2 years, Haneda would be cleared to accept international flights from not too distant countries. Would
42 GOCAPS16: http://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/200804/000911.html As of July 1, JAL will operate Haneda to Hong Kong on the 767-300ER.
44 Aviasian: On 24 May 2008, I have already seen aircraft from Asiana Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines operating out of Haneda Airport. KC Si
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