I am taking this flight next month, I was under the impression that you did not have to exit the plane in SIN, but good to know if true and kind of annoying. I do wonder if you can access the EK lounge during the layover or if you are stuck in the gate holding area.
I'll report back when I take it, although I on the outbound I am trying to book a stopover in SIN, but the pricing is difficult to understand.