Super-long flight to LAX is being eliminated

Nonstop service from Singapore to Los Angeles, which appears be the longest flight running to and from LAX, will end at the end of next year, reports the WSJ. The flight, which is available five days a week, covers 8,746 miles and takes about 16 hours. It's an all-business class cabin, with fares in the $7,300 range. The elimination of service means that travelers will have to make a connection - most likely in Tokyo. Singapore Air is also cancelling its nonstop to Newark. Given that Singapore is an economic powerhouse, the decision might not make much sense - unless you happen to be in the airline business. From the Journal:

So far this year, at least three other ultralong-haul flights--generally considered to be flights of more than 15 hours--have been cut, including Thai Airways International's nonstop between Bangkok and Los Angeles, Delta Air Lines' ervice from Detroit to Hong Kong and American Airlines' Chicago-New Delhi flight. After Wednesday's cuts by Singapore Airlines, the new champion long-haul route is a flight between Dallas-Fort Worth and Sydney flown by Qantas Airways, which clocks in at 8,565 miles, followed by a flight between Johannesburg and Atlanta operated by Delta at 8,413 miles.

The cuts were caused by a combination of economics and physics. Amid the sluggish global economy, fewer fliers were willing to pay premium fares, which can be more than five times the standard coach fare. The rise of discount carriers in Asia has also put additional pressure on the regional operations of premium carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.. Because of the sheer weight of the fuel necessary to fly for more than 15 hours, aircraft use more fuel per mile compared with shorter routes. But the airfare per mile doesn't proportionally increase.