Singapore Airlines Journeys

The Singapore Airlines Boeing 747

Remember when you first fell in love with an aircraft?

While technology is at the heart of the Singapore Airlines fleet, we think of our aircraft as more than just machines. They're rich with stories and memories, and few planes are as storied as the Boeing 747.

Since September 1973, millions of passengers have minted fond memories of our Jumbo Jets — the 747-200 Super B, the 747-300 Big Top, and the 747-400 Megatop. Now, after nearly forty years of sky-high service, we're closing a Jumbo-sized chapter in our history and sending off the 747 with a farewell flight worthy of its legacy.

A 25th Anniversary and a 1st birthday.

Malayan Airways was formed in 1947. In 1967, it changed its name to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines, and even continued operating for seven years after the separation of the two countries. Finally, on 1 October 1972, Singapore Airlines...

was formed— a newborn airline with 25 years of experience, and two planes on the way that would change the future of commercial aviation forever.

The Beginnings of Singapore Airlines

Welcoming the First 747s to Singapore

It's Twins!

On 1 September 1973, engineers and top executives from the newly-formed Singapore Airlines gathered with members of the press on Boeing's tarmac in Seattle to take delivery of two planes that were unlike any that had come before. The two Boeing 747-200s were the biggest passenger planes in the world, and Singapore Airlines customised them in ways unheard of at the time. The aircraft featured wider seats, two lounges, two extra galleys to speed up meal service, and...

a total of 18 cabin crew to attend to the needs of the 349 passengers aboard. Over the next two decades, Singapore Airlines would add dozens more 747s to its fleet, and continue to outfit them with innovative extras for its passengers. From upstairs lounges to private business class cabins to an ever-evolving inflight entertainment experience, the Boeing 747 was the testbed for countless groundbreaking Singapore Airlines innovations that we take for granted today.

A Plan for Comfort

The sky's most spacious cabin.

Boeing designed its wide-bodied 747 aircraft to seat a remarkable 500 passengers in economy. We were impressed — but it was a little bit cramped.

So when Singapore Airlines became the first Southeast Asian airline to operate the B747, we decided to put all that space to slightly better use, carrying just 349 passengers in First and Economy. With two lounges and two extra galleys, our 747s were equipped for comfort.

And though we had just 349 passengers instead of the usual 500, we still brought along more cabin crew to attend to their needs than on any other aircraft in the world.

The First Singapore Girls

Service the Singapore Way.
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Even before it was the Singapore Way.

A lot has changed since the early days on Malayan Airways, when inflight refreshments consisted of a flask of iced water for both passengers and crew. But one thing hasn't changed at all: a standard of inflight service that even other airlines talk about.

At home above the clouds.

Lifetime Singapore Airlines passenger Ashok Melwani shares his fond memories of travelling on the Singapore Airlines B747.

A Passenger's Tribute to the B747

A relaxed altitude.

Some would say that ordering one of the largest aircraft in the world was innovation enough. But Singapore Airlines didn't stop there...

We customised our first 747s for comfort, outfitting them with two lounges instead of one. All the better to enjoy a glass of Champagne at 30,000 feet.

The Stratosphere's Finest Lounge

The B747: A Steward’s Story

A lifetime of service.

Aleem Ibrahim, Singapore Airlines’ head of Cabin Crew performance, reminisces about his history with the 747—beginning with serving on its inaugural flight.

Slumberettes on the B747

We've been giving our passengers sweet dreams since 1976.

To help our passengers get a good night's rest, we completely redesigned the upper deck of our B747-200s. Our first-in-the-world "slumberette" cabins came with 6 custom divans that turned into beds for long-haul flights, making bleary eyes at immigration a thing of the past.

The First Gourmet Inflight Meal

A taste of things to come.

The first time we ever served a gourmet meal on board a Singapore Airlines flight was in October 1979. We had master chefs from Hugo's Restaurant at the Grand Hyatt prepare and serve an exclusive menu for our First Class passengers. We should have known this would be the future: once we'd sampled the Prime Rib, there was no turning back.

Singapore Airlines Goes West

California, here we come.

On 2 July 1980, Singapore Airlines launched an unprecedented three flights a week to sunny, glittering Los Angeles aboard the 747 Super-B. Today we operate twenty-six flights a week to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Hello, California!

Moving to Changi

There's no place like home.

Singapore Airlines had flown out of Paya Lebar Airport from the very beginning. However, by 1975 the airport was no longer big enough to handle the 4 million passengers a year we helped propel through Singapore's immigration counters.

And so began one of the largest development projects in the history of Singapore — nearly 52 million square metres of land were reclaimed from the ocean. On it, Singapore built a modern marvel of an airport. There we built one of the world's largest hangars to house our 747 fleet.

When we began operations at the brand-new Singapore Changi Airport with a flight from Kuala Lumpur on 1 July 1981, it was like coming home.

More than the sum of its parts.

Singapore Airlines Engineering Maintenance Controller Foo See Hay shares his memories from nearly forty years of working on the 747.

An Engineer’s Ode to the B747

Building the Big Top.

Ten years after the first Singapore Airlines 747 took to the air, another revolution was on its way from Seattle — the Boeing 747-300 Stretched Upper Deck...

It had an upper deck twice the size of its predecessor's, and a nickname that would soon become legendary: the Big Top.

Engineering the Upper Deck

Welcoming the Big Top to Singapore

Bigger things on the horizon.

On 28 April 1983, Singapore Airlines took delivery of the most advanced and comfortable passenger aircraft built to date: the B747-300 Stretched Upper Deck, also known as the Big Top.

After the 9am handover ceremony at Boeing's offices, the city of Seattle declared it to be Singapore Airlines Week in honour of the relationship between the two companies. By mid-afternoon, Singapore Airlines' first Big Top was on its way home. The passengers on board would be the first to experience the new standard in air travel.

The Big Top touched down at Singapore Changi Airport the next day to much fanfare and to the applause of excited onlookers. This iconic aircraft would come to define an era for Singapore Airlines.

All Business on the Big Top

The Upper Class.

Singapore Airlines' Big Top would set new standards for comfort in travel. First and Economy Class passengers enjoyed unprecedented space in their respective classes, with newly designed seats. But it was Business Class that was the true revelation.

The stretched upper deck that gave the Big Top its name was wholly dedicated to Business Class. And even though it was twice the size of a normal 747's upper deck, business travellers still enjoyed either a window or an aisle seat— and a service experience previously reserved for First Class.

The B747-400 Megatop

How do you top the Big Top?

When Boeing began talking about a new version of the 747, we knew we had to top everything we'd ever done. So we sat in on the design process for the B747-400; and on 28 March 1989, when the first Megatop arrived, it was clear that the world of aviation would never be the same again.

Further, faster than ever before.

One word to describe the B747-400 Megatop: revolutionary. Able to conquer 13,000 kilometres of continents, oceans, and time zones in a single bound, while providing maximum comfort for guests on board....

It's no surprise then that we accomplished what we did with the Megatop: nothing short of changing the very nature of long-haul flights.

A Revolution in Air Travel

Flying together into the sunset.

Retired Singapore Airlines pilot Peter Leo, once the world's youngest-ever B747 commander, tells his stories of flying the Jumbo Jet.

The B747: A Pilot's Take

A Stewardess’ Homage to the B747

Taking service to greater heights.

Cabin Crew Ward Leader Natalie Neo looks back on the evolution of inflight service on board Singapore Airlines’ 747-400 Megatop.

Destination: London

We'll get you to London in time for tea.

We began daily 747-200 flights to London in 1973. So how do you improve on that? Easy: do it the Singapore Airlines way. On 29 October 1984 we took advantage of our new Big Top engines to make our London-Singapore flights non-stop. Five years later, we upped the ante again...

The Megatop's improved range meant we could conquer the European headwinds and fly non-stop from Singapore to London for the first time in history. Our new daytime Megatop flights were designed to get passengers to London before sundown...

Along the way, we served a mouth-watering array of European and Singaporean cuisine to ensure they arrived fully charged for a night on the town.

Celebrating an Aviation Icon

The Singapore Girl comes of age.

While a Boeing 747 might seem like the logical place for the Singapore Girl to celebrate her 21st birthday, we had something else up our sleeves. To commemorate an aviation icon, we went to the place where she'd just been immortalised: Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London. On 21 October 1993, guests from the aviation and travel industry gathered in London at a gala dinner to honour the Singapore Girl. Leading Stewardess Lim Suet Kwee...

who only months ago had modelled for the museum's wax figure, flew in specially to cut the cake. This was a special occasion for a special girl. The first commercial figure to be honoured by Madame Tussaud's, she's a symbol not only of our cabin crew, but also of Singapore Airlines' historic commitment to service, a commitment that's since become legendary the world over.

The face that launched a thousand flights.

Cabin Crew Executive Lim Suet Kwee reflects on her time with Singapore Airlines, including being the face of SIA in the 1990s and modelling for a wax sculpture at Madame Tussaud’s.

The B747: A Singapore Girl's Story

Tribute on the tarmac.

On 17 February 2012, the Queen of the Skies held court one last time at Singapore Airshow 2012. A Singapore Airlines B747-400, one of two still in service, was put on static display over the weekend.

Visitors were invited onboard for a guided tour through its storied history. It was an emotional event, with many former passengers and staff reliving their memories and experiences of the Jumbo Jet.

The 747's send-off at Singapore Airshow

Our 747's Farewell Flight

All hands on deck as a legend takes flight for the last time.

In September 1973, we invited the world on board our brand new Boeing 747 and showed it a great way to fly. In the forty years since, we’ve taken the Singapore Airlines story from a tiny Southeast Asian island to six continents and the soaring heights of service. Now, on Friday 6 April 2012, Singapore Airlines bids a fond farewell to this iconic aircraft with special commemorative flights SQ747 and SQ748.

Flight SQ 747 departs Singapore at 08:30 on 6 April and arrives in Hong Kong at 13:15

Flight SQ 748 departs Hong Kong at 14:45 on 6 April and arrives in Singapore at 19:30

To all those who are booked on the flights, we thank you for your overwhelming support and look forward to welcoming you on board, as we share our fondest memories of the iconic aircraft that’s been instrumental in making us who we are today.