A guide to survive the longest flight in the world

You continue the time and move the Moon away at a speed of 550 km / h, stretching human tolerance in a high altitude and desert environment. You question eating habits and sleep patterns and wonder how many episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" you can watch in one sitting. (There are 24 available.)

Singapore Airlines

reclaimed the title of the world's longest flight Friday with its nonstop flight between Newark, N.J., and its home at Changi Airport. It's a 9,534-mile, 18-hour, 45-minute trip to Singapore, about halfway around the world. This is possible thanks to the latest aircraft in the sky, an ultra-long range version of the new A350-900 jet.

This is the future of air transport for many. Longer flights actually shorten journeys by eliminating the need to stop for connections. Non-stop between New York and Singapore, the journey takes at least 22 to 24 hours of connection to Frankfurt, San Francisco, Tokyo or Hong Kong.

Airlines are starting to incorporate ultra-long flights into their schedules – a historic change, a call as important as the introduction of the

Boeing

747. "New aircraft have the scope and economy to do what was not possible before," says Campbell Wilson, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Singapore.

The new Singapore plane has 67 business class seats and 94 economy class seats, but fortunately no standard coach. What is clear after piloting Flight 21 Friday in a premium economy class is that very long distance travel requires a different mentality, even for the most experienced road warriors.

Staying hydrated is a bigger challenge than on a typical flight. Planning to sleep to reorient you to the back of the clock makes all the difference. Avoiding salt and calories – usually available in large quantities in aircraft food – can help you get less tired.

And what we learn during these passenger endurance tests can also be helpful for shorter flights.

Indranil Ray Chaudhury, a Singaporean captain, said on Friday that flying at very great distances was challenging the fatigue management of crews and passengers. "It will take some time for people to get used to that," he says.

As captain, he takes off and the first part of the trip, rests, then enters the cockpit to manage the last three hours. The big challenge: at 18 hours, he must be the smartest.

"Here you have to manage your physical constitution, so when you arrive, you are fresh, not just for landing, but for any eventuality," says Captain Chaudhury. "The weather can be bad. You must be ready for anything for the last segment of the flight. "

The flight path has three options: head east across the Atlantic, west to the Pacific or north to the North Pole and the north. on the other side of the globe. The airline flight planners, in collaboration with the pilots, choose the route with the most favorable winds. They also take into account emergency landing sites and available storms.

Friday, the northern route was the best: Danbury, Connecticut, Montreal, Greenland, passing just south of the North Pole, then Siberia, Mongolia, China, Laos and Thailand. The real time in the air was only 17 hours and 30 minutes thanks to favorable winds. The flight traveled 9,857 miles, 3% more than the shortest possible route. Door to door, the trip took 18 hours.

Each of the 12 Singaporean flight attendants on board enjoys five hours of rest in the crew sleeping compartments. The flight attendants have also learned that these very long flights are far more than just a lactation with a few extra hours of work.

"The passengers are more and more agitated," says flight attendant Charmaine Ang. "We are looking for restless passengers and offer them something to eat, to watch over the entertainment system." For others, "18 hours is a child's play if you can sleep well," says she.

Singapore and Australia

Qantas Airways
,

Another carrier expanding its flight boundaries is studying the science of air welfare. Qantas lobbied Boeing and Airbus for a plane that could go even further than the Airbus A350-900 to connect Sydney to London and New York non-stop.

Singapore took this route from 2004 to 2013 with a four-engine aircraft equipped with only 100 seats in business class. He can not carry a full charge of this distance. It's proven to be popular with business travelers but unprofitable when fuel prices have skyrocketed.

The previous experience had convinced Singapore to do more for health in flight for such a long flight. The airline worked with Canyon Ranch, a spa and spa operator, to create a more appropriate menu and encourage under-stretching for better blood circulation and optimal sleep cycles. The in-flight entertainment system received 200 additional hours of programming compared to the standard 1,000-hour range.

On this trip, Singapore suggests a five-hour nap, with only one dinner in between. Ideally, you want to eat two hours before sleep, says Canyon Ranch Executive Director, Susan Docherty, so that digestion is complete and you fall asleep more quickly.

Only one hour after the meal service, the cabin lights light up in orange and simulate the sunset, even if the afternoon is in New York. Then they darken for the first nap. (I was never able to sleep while sitting on a plane – the difference was unfortunately not this trip.) Five hours later, the lucky man wakes up with warm towels and blue lights turning white before dinner. An hour later, another false sunset with orange lights before going out. (Still no joy for me.)

The menu, which includes a light lunch after takeoff and snacks before landing, is designed for a 2,000 calorie limit – unless passengers want to indulge themselves by asking for more. The flight landing in the late afternoon, so it is best to arrive hungry for dinner and sleep to properly guide you to Singapore time. (The hungry and tired parts are not too difficult.)

In flight, the taste is reduced by dry air and cabin pressure. Airlines often add salt to foods to enhance their flavor. But this results in water retention, bloating and fatigue. For this flight, the chefs prepared dishes with heavy flavors for the sea level but tasty in the air, without added salt.

The chefs have seasoned their beef ribs with a lot of turmeric, which gives them a strong taste and anti-inflammatory effects, "said Singapore director of food and beverage Antony McNeil. To reduce carbohydrates, the cauliflower was crushed like potatoes and served with beef. Cauliflower helps with hydration because it's mostly water. The lentil beans served with chicken were soaked with a broth full of garlic and onion. A rich tomato jam on the chicken was actually a conduit for a lot of red wine vinegar.

The dishes proved that airline food could be tasty at 40,000 feet. Even the cauliflower puree was creamy and tasty.

Singapore's premium economy seat for ultra-long flights is 19 inches wide inside the armrests, about an inch more than an A320. The row measures 38 inches long, about 6 inches longer than a typical row of coaches on long flights. More legroom makes all the difference, but he's still a coach.

"About 14 or 15 hours, my legs were really uncomfortable," says Bernard Yan, who works for a clothing manufacturer in New York and traveled to Singapore for his mother's 58th birthday.

It finds the premium economy seat although it has been specially designed by Singapore for long seating with extra supports for the thighs, calves and feet. Some extra support and under-seat entertainment equipment stole space for her backpack and allowed her to stretch her legs.

Mr. Yan made the trip several times, usually stopping in Frankfurt, but he was still surprised at how much the load of the long and long flight was becoming even more penalizing.

"It's a new territory, certainly not for everyone," he says. Nevertheless, he enjoyed food, cabin service and time savings. "It's a better option. I'll take it again.

Enrico Esopa, a manager of the Jersey City, New Jersey Maritime Workers' Union, went to Singapore on his business trip, took advantage of the nonstop business class tour when Singapore's directed previously. So when the airline announced the re-inauguration, it changed its United plane ticket through San Francisco and paid about $ 200 more for nonstop flight.

"The premium economy had a lot of space and it saved me six or seven hours," says Esopa. "But after 15 or 14 hours, you're a bit like, let's move on."

Write to Scott McCartney at [email protected]