SIA says budget unit will fly Boeing 777-200 planes

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) said Friday its newly established budget carrier will operate the Boeing 777-200 aircraft when commercial flights start next year.

The budget carrier will initially acquire the planes from its parent company and the aircraft will be reconfigured in a new layout, SIA said in a statement but gave no further details.

"The B777-200's proven versatility and reliability are key deciding factors in the selection of the aircraft," SIA said in the statement.

"The B777 family of aircraft has been a mainstay of the Singapore Airlines fleet since its introduction in 1997."

As of July, SIA's 106-strong fleet includes 35 Boeing 777-200 aircraft, according to its corporate website.

SIA had announced in May it will launch the new budget airline using wide-body aircraft to tap into growing consumer demand for low-cost travel over longer distances.

The airline has said the budget outfit will be operated independently and managed separately from its parent.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011