Singapore Air is again flying nonstop to USA from Singapore

SAN FRANCISCO -- Singapore Airlines is once again connecting Singapore to the USA with nonstop service. The airline celebrated the launch of its new Singapore-San Francisco route Sunday, officially restarting nonstop service from its home country to the USA after a break of about three years.Shanghai to Chiang Mai flights

The first arrival touched down mid-morning in San Francisco on Singapore's newest Airbus A350-900, which was just delivered to the carrier about a week ago (Oct. 14) at a splashy ceremony at Airbus' headquarters in Toulouse, France. The aircraft was the 10,000th Airbus to come off the European jetmaker's assembly lines.

Passengers on the inaugural flight from San Francisco were treated to food, drink and a traditional lion dance ahead of the first Singapore-bound departure. Some fliers were unaware they were flying on the carrier's inaugural San Francisco-to-Singapore flight until happening upon the pre-departure festivities.

The new Airbus A350s flying the route for Singapore Airlines seat 253 passengers in three classes of service: 42 in business class, 24 in premium economy and 187 in standard economy. The aircraft does not have Singapore's much-vaunted first class, though the airline touts its business-class seats as the widest in the industry.

Passengers on board the flight can expect to spend a lot of time in the air. Singapore Airlines' published schedule lists the Singapore-bound flight at 17 hours, 15 minutes while the return is scheduled for 14 hours, 35 minutes. Actual flight time varies depending on winds and weather.