Singapore Airlines has signed an agreement with the Airbus for its new ultra-long- range variant of the A350 aircraft and they will be its launch customer, enabling the resumption of non-stop flights between Singapore and the United States.

“Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,” Singapore Airlines CEO, Goh Choon Phong. The re-launch of the world’s longest non-stop flights will be take place with deliveries scheduled to take place in 2018. The airlines will also fly to Los Angeles.

He said the airlines has 63 A350-900s on firm order and the new agreement with Airbus will see seven of these upgraded to orders for the A350-900ULR, which will have a range of up to 8,700nm. With additional purchase options, the total number of A350s on firm order will go up to 67.

Phong said non-stop flights between Singapore and additional points in the US are also under consideration.

The airlines ended its operations of non-stop flights between Singapore and Los Angeles and New York in 2013 as the A340-500s used for the services were retired.

Airbus said, "Optimised for non-stop flights to the US, the aircraft, designated A350- 900ULR (Ultra-Long Range), will ‎include a modified fuel system to increase the fuel carrying capacity, an increase in Maximum Take-Off Weight, plus aerodynamic improvements, enabling service to the US West Coast, as well as to New York. Representing a distance of some 8,700 nautical miles, the New York service will be the world’s longest commercial passenger route, with an expected flight time of up to 19 hours."