I should've been clearer. SIN-ICN I'm sure is a strong route, but I recall reading that either South Korea or Canada weren't happy that so many tickets were being sold just for ICN-YVR. For one, Canada's fairly protectionist when it comes to air traffic rights.

SQ has a better chance making India work as a fifth-freedom (scissor) hub. They have equity in an Indian airline or a JV in place right? That would make SIN-India-East Coast work.

I believe you are correct, and that is why Canada reduced SQ's landing rights in YVR. The reduced landing rights from YVR is probably why SQ pulled out.

India is possible, but they don't have the infrastructure. Plus let's face it, Indians mainly fly to SFO.

Sin - tpe - yyz
sin - tpe - ord

Would a small order for some end of the line 777-200LRs at rock bottom prices make this viable in the next few years? Would the -200LR have the legs to get to NYC direct?

I would think that would at least be more economical then the A340-500's they were using. Hope it happens but seems pretty difficult to do it profitably.

777 range are fuel guzzlers so it is pretty hard to do it profitably and nyc is out of the range of these models including the lrs.

With the issues had with yvr, highly unlikely for yyz.

ord is a city that is possible but if it is done unless there is heavy traffic tpe to ord I think they will stick to hkg / icn / fra

I believe the A340-500 was out of range for NYC as well but will only 100 passengers they could make it work. I'm assuming the 777-200lrs in a similar configuration should be able to make the trip as I believe they have longer range than the A340-500 but I of course could be mistaken. This of course doesn't mean it would be profitable. Maybe the 777x could do it and make money but that's one long flight.

Well one thing that is certain is SQ was not happy with Boeing due to the delays in the 787 and at one point said they would do more business with airbus.

I know SQ has orders for the 787-10, but none for the 777X

Do you think they will want to go head to head with BR?

The Australian article indicates SQ interest in service to NYC & LAX. The Bloomberg article only mentions direct flights (although it is obvious that they are interested in not just any direct flight, but nonstop flights) to the US.

If its interest is really non-stop to the US rather than non-stop to NYC, they likely need a new bird. But their currently owned 777-200ER (range 9395nm) could easily do LAX and several other US destinations:

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=sin-gum...&MP=rect&DU=nm

YVR is out of the way. If they can garner enough pax for SIN-EWR, it makes much more sense to have a refueling stop in Russia, Iceland, or Eastern Canada.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=sin-ewr...,NER,PWE&DU=nm

SQ has always wanted to be what emirates is today imo because emirates is modeled largely after SQ.

Like emirates, I don't think sq fears competition.

How do TPE fifth-freedom rights work? I know SQ used to do SIN-TPE-LAX. But that was also before EVA set its sights on being a Star Asia-U.S. powerhouse.

SIN-USA nonstop will only work where there's a lot of premium traffic that really wants to fly nonstop. Otherwise, hubs in between will always have lower costs and better economies of scale. That's why I believe SIN-SFO will come online before SIN-YVR/SEA does. That premium traffic is probably almost all NYC, SFO, and LAX. (IAH would really be pushing it.)

How do ME3, EU3, and the Northeast Asian carriers share ASEAN-USA flows?

SQ's competitive advantage with US flights is probably going to be premium SIN-USA flows, and ASEAN-USA where existing competitors can't do as well a job. (Indonesia, maybe? But I can't see that being a big USA market for the time being.) ASEAN north of Malaysia is better flown through Northeast Asia/ME3 or even nonstop (see MNL).

Actually, based on my experience flying SIN-EWR on SQ22 (admittedly only three times) , the routing crossed into North America somewhere around ANC. So YVR is not that far out of the way travelling in that direction (and indeed when I looked at flightaware IIRC this was the most common routing for 22).

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=SIN-ANC-EWR,SIN-YVR-EWR

However, in the other direction it is a problem, typically SQ21 traversed either the polar route or Europe (a path of EWR-ARN-SIN).


PER SQ was one of the best ways to get from PER-New York. Granted that the market size is somewhat limited.

Are you saying SQ does not have the 5th freedom right anymore between TPE and LAX?

i think SIN - TPE - DFW is more viable as there are quite some Taiwanese community in DFW area.

I suspect, since they don't use it, they lose it.

You are right that they would fly over the polar caps, the problem is YVR has little to no load prospect as a direct route. So the profitability of said route isn't great.

As others have mentioned, you would ideally like a stop over somewhere to either pick up load or choose a market that can pay the premium for direct flights.

While that is true, I don't think daily flights will be profitable unless SQ manages to funnel enough traffic to use Virgin America and connect on SQ to SIN.