Only business-class on SIA non-stop to US
High demand from business travellers, so direct economy flights to be phased out from mid-May
By Jessica Lim
SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) will launch the world's longest business class-only flights in mid-May, when it strips the economy seats from its non-stop routes to the United States.
The airline currently operates two daily non-stop flights to the US - to Los Angeles and Newark, New Jersey - on Airbus A340-500 aircraft.
Come May, it will convert the aircraft's 181-seat two-class configuration into 100 business class-only seats.
But the move will come at a cost to economy-class fliers: They will not be able to fly non-stop to the US anymore, a route that has proven popular with them.
If economy-class travellers want to fly SIA to America, they will have to stop over in Frankfurt, Tokyo or Taipei, increasing travel time by as much as six hours.
SIA said it is making the move because demand for business-class seats on the non-stop US routes is very strong.
Said Mr Huang Cheng Eng, the airline's executive vice-president: 'Peak demand for non-stop flights is from our business-class customers'.
Frequent business-class fliers that The Straits Times contacted said they have to book tickets as many as six months in advance to be assured of a seat.
Corporate travellers and well-heeled vacationers are fuelling demand for business class-only flights across the world, and several airlines, including British Airways, are studying a move in this direction.
Some carriers, including Lufthansa, operate business class-only flights across the Atlantic.
SIA launched its non-stop flights from Singapore to the US in 2004.
The conversion to all business-class seats will occur in phases, with daily services in the new configuration to Newark in operation by the end of June, and to Los Angeles by late September.
Business travellers welcomed the move.
Mr Edward McKenna, 59, a business consultant who books his non-stop flights from the US to Singapore two months in advance, said: 'All-business class flights will mean improved, better service.'
He added: 'The airline should also be flexible to accommodate the flexibility of business travellers' plans. We often do not have a month or two to plan for trips.'
At the other end of the spectrum, however, passengers who usually fly non-stop on economy class expressed their regret over the move.
Renee Wu, 25, a business analyst who makes round trips from Singapore to New York once a year on economy class, said he will miss the flights: 'I always fly non-stop because the seats are more comfortable.
'I'm not sure it's worth paying extra for a few hours' difference in travelling time.'
A Straits Times check of SIA's website last night showed that bookings for non-stop economy-class flights to the US cannot be made for travel after June 25.
Meanwhile, SIA yesterday flatly denied a report that it may buy a 25 per cent stake in China Airlines, Taiwan's largest carrier.
The airline's stock jumped in Taipei trading after the report, by Taiwan's Central News Agency, yesterday.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_213288.html