United Airlines launched San Francisco – Singapore non-stop service two years ago. Singapore Airlines responded with its own non-stop on the route
United launched Los Angeles – Singapore non-stop but will end the route after a year and add a second San Francisco non-stop.
Singapore Airlines has Newark – Singapore launching October 12, the world’s longest flight, and will launch Los Angeles – Singapore on November 2. There will be a break in Los Angeles having non-stop service to Singapore of just a few days, and Singapore will have that field to itself.
Reservations for Los Angeles – Singapore on Singapore Airlines are now open and the generally reliable Routes Online reports,
Singapore Airlines today (11JUL18) opened reservation for its planned service resumption on nonstop Singapore – Los Angeles route, on board Airbus A350-900ULR aircraft. Initially service commences on 02NOV18 with 4 weekly flights (SQ038/037), increasing to 7 weekly from 12NOV18, 10 weekly from 07DEC18 (SQ036/035).
Planned schedule from 12NOV18 as follows.
SQ036 SIN0820 – 0730LAX 359 357
SQ038 SIN2045 – 1955LAX 359 DSQ035 LAX0915 – 1905+1SIN 359 357
SQ037 LAX2225 – 0815+2SIN 359 D
There’s been a lot of speculation about what Singapore Airlines would do with its extra Airbus A350ULR (ultra long range) capacity beyond a daily Newark and Los Angeles flight. And the answer is additional Los Angeles flying and additional San Francisco flying. San Francisco will not only have 2 United non-stops to Singapore and a Singapore Airlines non-stop to Singapore, they’ll have a second non-daily Singapore Airlines flight as well.
will expand nonstop Singapore – San Francisco service from 7 to 10 weekly from 28NOV18. The new SQ034/033 will be operated by A350-900ULR, while existing SQ032/031 continues with A350-900XWB.
SQ032 SIN0920 – 0750SFO 359 D
SQ034 SIN1520 – 1350SFO 359 357SQ031 SFO0930 – 1905+1SIN 359 D
SQ033 SFO2010 – 0540+2SIN 359 357
Los Angeles – Seoul service will end December 1 which disappoints me because it was an easy premium cabin award to get using KrisFlyer miles.
I do wonder how long 3.5 daily Singapore – San Francisco non-stop flights will last. That’s a lot of non-stop capacity for the route, especially since it competes broadly for connecting traffic between the US and Southeast Asia (for instance there are 39 weekly San Francisco – Hong Kong flights).
Hmmm…if I’m a Singapore passanger flying out of SFO, I’m definitely targeting that ULR over the XWB flight. I wonder how long Singapore can keep flying an XWB on that route once it introduces the ULR?
More proof of the validity of Say’s Law: supply creates its own demand. The mere ability to fly nonstop between the US and Singapore is leading to a massive increase in people choosing to do so. Meetings previously taken within range of a nonstop flight can now be taken in Singapore, and the marginal non-monetary expenses of time, hassle, exhaustion are now lower.
Unless SQ wants to cede the US market to its Asian competitors, non-stop flights are the only way forward. I would look for a follow-on 9-ULR order from SQ, because NYC can probably support at least 3-4 daily nonstop flights to SIN.
@Douglas Swalen: Why target the ULR over the XWB? Is there some inherent passenger comfort premium to the ULR beyond the lower density configuration?
As I said previously I gave the second daily UA flight an over/under of 365 days. May be less now.
Glad to see this increased schedule flexibility.
@Dan,
It’s the uncertainty factor. ULR has no problem with the non-stop. XWB should get you there. Maybe. Depending on the wind and the weight. Nothing would annoy me more than booking a non-stop flight only to wind up with a technical stop.
I also suspect, but don’t know for sure, that the ULR’s will get the latest Singapore interiors while the XWB’s will have to be upgraded.
@Dan,
It’s the uncertainty factor. ULR has no problem with the non-stop. XWB should get you there. Maybe. Depending on the wind and the weight. Nothing would annoy me more than booking a non-stop flight only to wind up with a technical stop.
I also suspect, but don’t know for sure, that the ULR’s will get the latest Singapore interiors while the XWB’s will have to be upgraded.
@Douglas Swalen: That makes sense. Thanks. Though I do think the XWB has the new interiors.