Singapore Airlines announced it would cease by late 2013 nonstop flights between Singapore and both Los Angeles and Newark.

"Although disappointing that we will be halting these services, we remain very committed to the U.S. market," according to CEO Goh Choon Phong. "Over the past two years we have increased capacity to both Los Angeles and New York by deploying Airbus A380 superjumbos on flights via Tokyo and Frankfurt. We will also continue to explore additional options to enhance our U.S. services." The carrier also announced that it ordered five additional A380s and 20 new A350s, with deliveries starting in 2017. As part of the deal, Airbus will take back five of Singapore's A340-500s, which are scheduled to be removed from the fleet in the fourth quarter of 2013. The nonstop Los Angeles and Newark cancellations, therefore, result from "the absence of replacement aircraft in the Singapore Airlines fleet with sufficient range and operating economics."