Singapore Airlines (SIA) is today operating its first all-business class service, between its Singapore base and New York-Newark in the USA.

Flight SQ22 departed Singapore at 11:00 today and the Airbus A340-500 is due to arrive in Newark at 17:50 local time.

SIA has five A340-500s that operate non-stop services between Singapore and both Newark and Los Angeles. Until today all five had been in a two-class layout, seating 181 passengers in premium economy and business class.

SIA-all-business-class 
 © Singapore Airlines

The Star Alliance carrier announced in March that it planned to switch the A340-500s to an all-business class operation seating just 100 passengers in a 1-2-1 layout. It said the change was being made as a result of higher demand from business travellers for the non-stop US services.

It also serves Los Angeles and New York on a one-stop basis with aircraft that have economy class cabins. Some also have first-class cabins.

 SIA-A340-500-445
 © AirTeamImages
A Singapore Airlines A340-500

SIA says the switch to all-business class services for all its non-stop US flights will be completed by September, when the last aircraft is retrofitted.

It will initially offer all-business class to Newark three times per week, rising to daily by the end of June. By the end of September it will also offer daily all-business class services to Los Angeles.

Source: Flight International