On May 16, SIA announced that Thng, with effect from July 1, will be promoted to an executive vice president within the SIA group.
Scoot has introduced a new aircraft model to its fleet: the E190-E2 from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer — a marked departure from the practical duopoly held by Boeing and Airbus with SIA as a group thus far. The first two E190-E2s have been delivered, and all nine aircraft will be handed over by the end of 2025.
The E190-E2, with its interior two-by-two single-class configuration and larger cabin windows compared to Airbus’s A320, currently holds the title for the industry’s quietest and most fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft. Maintenance of the aircraft will be managed by the Embraer Collaborative Inventory Planning (ECIP), which Scoot has awarded a contract.
Thng explains that the E190-E2 is not an entirely new aircraft, having been in the market for a few years. This has given the Scoot team sufficient operating statistics to parse through and conclude that the E190-E2 can suitably deliver on both operational resilience and reliability.
See also: SIA chalks up another record year, but further gains will be tougher
With just 112 seats, the E190-E2 carries fewer passengers than the Boeing 787s, Airbus A320s and A321s that Scoot now operates. This means the Embraer is not meant as a replacement but as a complement to make the airline’s network more efficient, given the varying demands and traffic patterns.
Scoot began flying the E190-E2 on May 7 to Krabi, and it will also be deployed to serve existing destinations such as Hat Yai, Miri, and Kuantan. Two new destinations are planned: Koh Samui and Sibu. “Operating the aircraft on thinner routes to non-metro destinations in the Asia-Pacific allows the group to unlock significant growth opportunities in the region,” says SIA in its full-year earnings report on May 15.
China remains Scoot’s largest market, served by a quarter of its capacity. Specifically, Scoot now operates 88 weekly flights to 17 Chinese cities. “Given the scale of Scoot’s China operations, the 30-day visa-free arrangement between Singapore and China is a positive and welcome development, which we have already seen an increase in bookings shortly after the announcement in January. We will remain nimble to respond to demand changes,” says Thng.
