Singapore Airlines (SIA) is sticking with plans to operate Boeing 777-200ERs on new services to Las Vegas that launch later this week despite the fact that it has yet to secure approval for 180min extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS).

The Star Alliance carrier launches the thrice-weekly Singapore-Hong Kong-Las Vegas services on 2 August. It has since it announced plans for the new services said twinjet 777s will be used, and has been seeking 180min ETOPS approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
SIA confirms it has yet to win 180min ETOPS approval but will still be able to operate the transpacific services using 777s - with changes to flight times. It currently only has CAAS approval to operate the twinjets up to a maximum of 120min from diversion airfields.

Outbound flights from Singapore to Las Vegas are thought to have been recently re-scheduled to land around 45min later than originally planned. The carrier’s reservations office says total travel time between Singapore and Las Vegas will be 18hr, 40min.