The longest flight in the world will not have an economic seat

More space

Forget the class of cattle. The Airbus aircraft that will carry the link will carry a maximum of 161 passengers, against 253 on the existing A350-900 of the company. That means more space, with 67 flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration for business class and 94 up economy seats in an essentially 2-4-2 configuration at the rear.

While premium economy seats offer an 8-inch tilt, the pace – the distance between yours and the one before it – is 38 inches, 4 inches lower than on some of Japan Airlines' long-haul flights.

lobster Thermidor

Singapore Airlines has announced that it would serve dishes on very long flights that attempt to compensate for the effect of being stuck in a seat for a day.

The company's "Wellness" menu features shrimp ceviche, organic chicken and pappardelle with zucchini. A partnership with Canyon Ranch offers "scientific recommendations and strategies to improve sleep, balanced meal choices and circulation-enhancing exercises." Try braised pork with citrus or pan-fried chicken and large zucchini ribbons for dishes with less salt and sugar and more turmeric and fennel that, according to Canyon, promote hydration and nutrition.

As with other Singapore Air long-haul itineraries, you can enjoy local specialties such as chicken, rice and beef, or the "Book the Cook" service, which allows you to order dishes such as lobster thermidor or steak at the coast until 24 hours before the flight.

And if the international panel of chefs of the airline can not tempt you, you can always order a hamburger in advance.

Sandra Bullock

For the Internet-addicted traveler who wants to stay secret for almost a whole day, the flight offers Wi-Fi for a fee. A business class ticket receives 30 megabytes of data for free. An additional 20 MB, just enough for an hour on Facebook, cost US $ 6, with larger packages offering up to 200 MB for US $ 28. According to Singapore Air, the data transmission speed could reach 4 to 8 Mbps, based on active users, satellite coverage and weather conditions.

For moviegoers, this should not be a problem. The airline has added 200 hours of movies and TV shows to the already 1,000 available, from new releases like "Ocean's 8" to international art films and movies.

Sleeping drivers

The four Singapore Airlines pilots (two captains and two first officers) aboard each of the A350-900 ultralongs are not allowed to travel to New York unless they left 48 hours before takeoff. According to Singapore Air, they enjoy more time on board, with at least eight hours of rest, compared with 5 1/2 hours on a typical long-haul service. When they land in New York, pilots have three nights off before returning to Singapore.

The 13 crew members will enjoy at least four hours of rest during the flight and two days to enjoy New York before returning.

Weightloss

When Singapore Airlines dropped the previous Singapore-New York flight in 2013, oil traded around $ 100 a barrel. With crude prices in excess of $ 80, the carrier is increasingly relying on technology to reduce the fuel bill.

This means that the plane must remain as light as possible.

Lightweight composites, including carbon fiber, make up the bulk of the A350-900ULR, while newer wingtips help reduce drag, Airbus said. According to Maria Luisa Lucas Ugena, A350 Product Marketing Manager at Airbus, this remodeled model consumes 25% less fuel than similar size and performance aircraft.

The aircraft has a higher ceiling, larger windows and a wider body, with less noise in the cabin and LED lighting designed to reduce jet lag. Aircraft based on composite materials can also tolerate higher cabin pressure, which means more oxygen and moisture in the air, making the flight more comfortable.

Solid tanks

Weight savings will not be enough to get the plane off the ground for Newark. Airbus has refitted the fuel system of a standard A350-900 and pumped 17% more kerosene into the wing tanks. The aircraft can now hold approximately 43,590 gallons of fuel, or more than 270 gallons per passenger on a full flight. The A340-500 used on this route until 2013 had 58,870 gallons for just 100 customers.

Bloomberg