Singapore Airlines' Melbourne flights: no A380, many Jan changes

Singapore Airlines is pulling the Airbus A380 from its Melbourne flights in January, leaving the route to be served by smaller and less advanced Boeing 747 and 777 planes, which have three different types of business class.

Confusingly, the schedules are shifting for a couple of weeks in late January and then settling down through the end of March. So your old favourite flight might now have the worst seats of the lot.

We've picked through the timetables to recommend the best of SQ's three daily flights for getting work done -- and getting some sleep -- in business class.

If you're not familiar with the difference between fully flat beds and angled lie-flat seats, you might want to check out our in-depth article explaining the lie-flat lie. 

SQ217 and SQ218

Since these flights will stay on Boeing 777-300ER planes, which have the same wide, fully flat beds in business class as the A380, they're the ones to pick for the most comfortable and productive flight.

The A380-style fully flat beds are also found on the 777-300ER -- but not the non-ER 777-300!

SQ227 and SQ238

Until the changes kick in, these are the best flights from Melbourne since they're on the quieter Airbus A380 with newer fully flat beds. But watch out after 15 January.

From 16-30 January, you'll see a smaller Boeing 777-300, which will hopefully by then have been upgraded to the new regional business class seats -- although those aren't as good as the wider, fully flat business class beds on the A380.

From 31 January, you'll see the older Boeing 747 with older angled lie-flat seats, making this the worst flight on the list at that point.

Singapore's last-generation 747 business class seats are the worst of the lot. Avoid them if you can.
Thomas Kriese

SQ237 and SQ228

Avoid these flights until 31 January, since they have angled lie-flat business class seats at best, and recliners at worst.

These have a Boeing 777-300 until 15 January (which may or may not have new regional business class seats), but will then see an older Boeing 747 (with older business class seats) from 16-30 January.

From 31 January, the 777-300 will return, making it the second best choice of flights from then on.

SQ's new regional angled lie-flat business class seat looks good, but it's still not a fully flat bed.

Sydney flights

Singapore Airlines has also swapped its Sydney flights around, so make sure that you have the best seat on your new flight to or from Sydney too.

Tip of the proverbial hat to airlineroute.net for the GDS scheduling system deep-dive details.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.