Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced it will be resuming its 18 hour-plus non-stop flights to New York in November. The airline, which recently announced it would be laying off more than 4,000 employees said the return to non-stop service “would allow Singapore Airlines to better accommodate a mix of passenger and cargo traffic on its services to New York in the current operating climate” and said the service “would also be supported by the growing number of transfer passengers who can now transit via Singapore’s Changi Airport”.
SIA also anticipates significant cargo demand from a range of industries based in the New York metro area, including pharmaceuticals, e-commerce and technology firms. The new service will provide the only non-stop air cargo link from the East Coast of the US to Singapore, which serves as a regional distribution hub for many major US-based companies.
The airline will operate the Airbus A350-900 long-range aircraft on the route, configured with 42 Business Class, 24 Premium Economy Class and 187 Economy Class seats. The airline already operates non-stop services to Los Angeles. It will continue to review its operations to the United States, and assess the growing demand for air travel amid the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, before deciding to reinstate services to other points in the country.
“Operating these flights between Singapore and New York’s JFK International Airport represent an important step in the rebuilding of our global network. Non-stop ultra-long services are the bedrock of our services to the key US market. We will continue to ramp up existing services and reinstate other points as the demand for both passenger and cargo services return,” said Lee Lik Hsin, executive vice president commercial for Singapore Airlines. Despite the challenging times for the airline industry, there are some early signs of optimism about a recovery in air travel. Our customers say that they are increasingly confident about air travel, given the robust health and safety measures that are in place, as well as testing regimes to protect them and our staff. This optimism is also driven by recent moves by countries such as Singapore, which are easing the restrictions on both transit and inbound passengers in a safe and gradual manner.”
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