Singapore converts long-range Airbuses to all-business

Despite economic uncertainty there’s apparently enough demand for premium-class seats between the United States and Singapore – enough for Singapore Airlines to render five of its long-range aircraft Business-Class conveyances.

Currently, two-class 181-passenger A340-500s ply the extraordinarily long haul between Newark Liberty International (EWR) and Singapore’s hub at Changi International Airport (SIN). The Airbuses do it nonstop. The same craft ply the Los Angeles International (LAX) to Singapore route nonstop.

Singapore Airlines has five A340-500s, and all of them are being converted to 100-passenger conveyances – all Business Class.

The seats will be arrayed in an interesting fashion: 1x2x1. That means every passenger gets either an aisle or a window seat. These Business-Class seats are the same ones Singapore employs on its double-decked A380s, the largest passenger jet in the skies.

To manage this retrofit of the airplanes there will be no Tuesday nonstops between LAX and Singapore on Tuesdays between mid-May and late-June. There’s no change to the Newark service.

When will the airplanes be fully fitted with the new accommodations? Singapore says all of them will be up and operating between Newark and SIN by the end of June, and between Los Angeles and Singapore by late September.

Can’t fly Business Class to Singapore from Los Angeles or the New York area? Book economy passage on Singapore Air’s daily flight out of New York Kennedy. It’s a one-stop affair. There’s also daily one-stop out of LAX that offers economy fares.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler