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Will SIA operate all-business class Singapore-USA?

Published: 23/01/2008 - Filed under: News »

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High oil prices could spell an end to economy class seating on SIA’s non-stop flights linking Singapore with Los Angeles and New York Newark.

These ultra long-haul services are operated by a five-strong fleet of Airbus A340-500s. If the move goes ahead it would mean that SIA becomes the first carrier to offer executive-jet levels of service on such large and high-performance crafts.

The daily services, which are among the world’s longest flights, were launched in a blaze of publicity several years ago. Configured two-class (business and premium economy), these services are unique to SIA and were designed for the A340-500. Business class (which costs four times more than economy) is said to be much more popular (than economy) as executives appreciate the time savings and are prepared to pay for them. None of SIA’s rivals has a competitive schedule. 

But according to the US industry publication Aviation Week, SIA’s non-stop operation has been suffering from soaring fuel costs. Indeed SIA’s CEO, Chew Choon Seng, recently went on record as saying that, given the current market environment, the airline would not launch such flights again.

The problem with such long flights (Singapore-New York takes 19 hours, while Singapore-LA is 17 hours and 30 minutes) using four-engined A340s is that they are not particularly fuel-efficient owing to the heavy load of kerosene (jet fuel) taken on board. Fuel burn is excessive for the first few hours after take-off until the plane’s load lightens.

Singapore-based spokesman Stephen Forshaw says SIA is considering an all-business class layout but no firm decision has been made. He says that if SIA were to switch to an all-business class configuration, then the A340-500s would receive a complete interior makeover.

But a flight-status check (covering dozens of flights) by Business Traveller using SIA’s website revealed there was no premium economy availability on non-stop flights to New York starting in the early summer, with the Los Angeles route following in the autumn. In contrast, business class was freely available. Some of SIA’s regular customers are also reporting that premium economy seat availability simply disappears from the above-mentioned dates. On that basis it would suggest the move will go ahead.

Right now, each of the five A340s needed to operate these routes is configured with 64 angled lie-flat business class seats (configured 2-2-2) with 64 inches of pitch, and 117 premium economy seats (configured 2-3-2) with 37 inches of pitch. 

But each business class seat earns a lot more cash so even though more space is needed (for the larger seat) SIA will profit handsomely. (Singapore-New York return costs S$11,477 or £4,095 in business, as against S$2,777 or £990 in premium economy.)

The flights likely to become all-business class later this year are:

Singapore-New York SQ22
New York-Singapore SQ21
Singapore-Los Angeles SQ38
Los Angeles-Singapore SQ37

SIA’s existing one-stop B747/B777 flights linking Singapore with New York via the Atlantic, and Singapore-Los Angeles via the Pacific, will continue unchanged.

For more information go to singaporeair.com.

Report by Alex McWhirter

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