Yes Dean,
They can!
It was called the 'Kangaroo route'
Sure the
PR team can come up with another game changing trademark, in the interim those 'investments' in Asia are a drag against the balance sheet. Just like Quantitative Easing; unwinding that mess is fraught with problems!
Much easier to sell an aircraft with MSN (build numbers) in the 600's as 'game changing' and hope no one notices that the route is likely marginal, the seating density too tight and that Singapore a well established hub for oh about 50 years offers a far more comfortable routing to Europe.