Singapore Airlines will begin operating all-business-class services to Los Angeles and New York in May, in a move it says will create an airline-industry first. The initiative will represent the first time any airline has operated an all-business-class service between Asia and the United States, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said. SIA plans to convert the five Airbus A340-500 jets it currently operates on nonstop flights to both U.S. cities into all-business-class configuration. At present each A340-500 seats 181 passengers in two classes — business class and SIA’s ‘Executive Economy’ class — but will replace this configuration with a single-class interior that contains 100 of the airline’s new business-class seats.

[From World of airline news]