Singapore Airlines launches non-stop flights to Los Angeles from Nov 2

By David Flynn, July 11 2018
Singapore Airlines launches non-stop flights to Los Angeles from Nov 2

Singapore Airlines will begin non-stop flights to Los Angeles on November 2, 2018, following the October 11 debut of direct flights to New York.

The move follows the decision by fellow Star Alliance member United Airlines to axe its own Singapore-Los Angeles flights as of October 27, 2018.

Singapore Airlines' long-legged LAX flight will be handled by the Airbus A350-900ULR – an extended range version of the A350-900 in a two-class 'all-premium' configuration with 67 business class seats (below) and 94 premium economy seats, the same as fitted on SQ's standard Airbus A350-900 jets.

Singapore Airlines' Airbus A350 business class seat
Singapore Airlines' Airbus A350 business class seat

AusBT review: Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 business class

The 17 hour flight SQ38 will initially run three times a week – departing Singapore on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – before toggling to a daily service on 9 November 2018.

But once a day isn't enough, the airline says, with an additional three flights per week as SQ36 from December 7, 2018, for a total of ten weekly A350s plying the non-stop skies between the Red Dot and La La Land.

In tandem with the launch of the direct flights to Los Angeles, Singapore Airlines will axe its daily Singapore-Seoul-Los Angeles service as of November 30 (truncating this to a Singapore-Seoul flight running four days a week as of December 1) but retain the Singapore-Tokyo-Los Angeles route.

Singapore Airlines will also swing the A350-900ULR onto its San Francisco route three days per week as of November 28 2018, complementing the current daily flight made by a standard A350-900 to boost overall non-stop services to Fog City to ten flights per week.

Qantas is also weighing up the same A350-900ULR jet for direct flights to New York, London and other destinations from 2022 as part of its ambitious 'Project Sunrise'.

However, unlike SQ's lean two-class layout,  Qantas wants its ultra-long range fleet to carry upwards of 300 passengers across four classes – with the option to include railway-like 'sleeping berths' and even dedicated exercise areas located in the cargo area beneath the main deck.

Read: Qantas wants four classes, 300+ passengers in ultra-long range jets

David

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.

16 Feb 2017

Total posts 28

The Red Dot ??

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

22 Jul 2015

Total posts 219

Trying to work it out also.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

23 Jun 2014

Total posts 10

Its explained on Wikipedia... quite fun and cheeky really!

 
"Little red dot" (or "The Red Dot", or "Little Red Dot") is a nickname often used in the media, and in casual conversation, as a reference to Singapore. It refers to how the nation is depicted on many maps of the world and of Asia as a red dot. The term gained wide publicity when the former PresidentofIndonesiaB. J. Habibie used it to refer to Singapore in what appeared to be a disparaging manner (though this was denied by him). The term was quickly adopted by both Singaporean politicians and ordinary citizens with pride and a sense of the nation's success despite its physical limitations."

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

22 Jul 2015

Total posts 219

Thank you.

05 Mar 2014

Total posts 2

Should be the 'Little Red Dot' - a nickname for Singapore

18 Oct 2015

Total posts 27

Amazingly quick turn around given the plane has just trekked 17+ hours...

17 Sep 2015

Total posts 371

SQ is very good at staying on time, but won't be immune from runway and weather delays, so let's see if it on occasion is late.

29 Mar 2014

Total posts 78

Plane has the same minimum turnaround whether it just flew 17 minutes or 17 hours. The only difference is it needs a bit more time to reload on fuel.

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

01 Apr 2018

Total posts 10

AUD$1921 for Premium Economy return. Amazing price!!

09 May 2015

Total posts 33

But I've read mixed reviews of SQ's PE seating...with some saying it's little improvement over Economy. The same has been said about the food.


Are these ER A350s fitted with these same seats...and in the 2-4-2 per row configuration? It would be a looooong haul to any of these destinations if this is the case.

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

01 Apr 2018

Total posts 10

I personally have found SQ's PE a big upgrade from Economy the four times I've flown on the A350. One major factor that stands out to me, is the fact that I've managed to get at least 4-5 hours of sleep.


The PE seats on the ULR variant are slightly different, as well as having 6 "solo-seats" at the back with extra storage bins.

09 May 2015

Total posts 33

Thanks for the feedback. I just wonder if they are enough of an upgrade for these new 17-19 hour flights.


As there are only about 175 seats in these two-class planes, will the seat pitch in PE be bigger than in 3 or 4 class planes?

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

13 Jan 2015

Total posts 580

SQ PE is a massive upgrade when you think about the current offering on the route (i.e. Y in UA...yea nah)

Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club

16 Jun 2017

Total posts 35

I guess this is why they have changed SQ 11 to leave Narita at 20:55 arriving in SIN at 03:35, a most inconvenient time

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

13 Jan 2017

Total posts 74

Hmm SQ running 161 seats (with no F)


QF wants to run 300 - I'll wait and see - but sceptical.

Qantas

19 Apr 2012

Total posts 1428

QF would probably use the A350-1000 for 300 seats and airbus reckon they can do it.

23 Oct 2014

Total posts 238

If airbus can do it for Qantas why wouldn’t SQ have demanded it also as they are the ones out in front in ULH.


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