Countdown to the world's longest non-stop flight

Copyright of the image
SIA

The battle to offer the world's longest non-stop flight to the world is shifting up on Thursday, as a new service between Singapore and New York takes flight.

Singapore Airlines revived the service five years after its withdrawal, because it had become too expensive.

It will cover more than 15,000 km and should last just under 19 hours.

Qantas launched a 17-hour non-stop service between Perth and London earlier this year, while Qatar provides a 17-and-a-half hour service between Auckland and Doha.

Did the passengers take the tickets?

The flight from Changi Airport to Newark International Airport will take off with a bang and barely a seat.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) indicated that there was a demand from customers for non-stop services, which helps reduce journey times compared to flights calling.

The airline told the BBC that the business class seats for the flight were full.

However, there remained "a very limited number" of premium economic seats.

The airline does not plan to offer economy bookings on this route.

A business class ticket entitles passengers to two meals and the choice of when they are served, plus refreshments in between. They will also have a bed to sleep.

Premium economy rates will have three meals at set times, with refreshments in between.

Do people want to fly for 19 hours?

Copyright of the image
EPA

The all-new Airbus aircraft used by SIA has been configured to accommodate a total of 161 passengers – 67 business passengers and 94 passengers in economy economy class.

• It is the longest flight in the world non stop … for the moment
• Jet writes the story on a flight from Australia

"The underlying idea is that they sell a high-end product – it's destined for the top of the city," said aviation expert, Geoffrey Thomas, who will be aboard the Thursday flight.

"This is a route connecting two gigantic financial centers, so they will fill the plane with business people or well-heeled travelers who want a non-stop flight.

"It has also been proven that when carriers introduce a new non-stop route, traffic on this route is multiplied by three."

Mr. Thomas, editor of Airlineratings.com, has been involved in several inaugural flights, including the new Qantas long-haul from London, inaugurated earlier this year, and he looks forward to be part of the story.

"The Qantas flight to London was a huge event, we were basically standing for the entire flight, it was incredibly exciting, there is almost a festive atmosphere on board."

Which route will the flight take?

Of the two possible routes that SIA could take on Thursday to get to Newark, SIA has already indicated to its passengers the route it would take: the NOPAC route or the North Pacific route.

Mr. Thomas said he would cover a distance of about 15,341 km, but reminds non-aviation experts that even if the distance between destinations remains constant, distance traveled and flight times may vary due to clear winds, headwinds and possible diversions due to bad weather.

"If you have good and powerful jet-streams going east, as we will, we will fly over Japan, then the North Pacific, possibly to Alaska, then Canada to Newark."

SIA currently estimates that the flight will last approximately 18 hours and 25 minutes.

Copyright of the image
SIA

Is this the future of long-haul travel?

The A330-900 ULR (Ultra Long Range), which will perform Thursday a round trip flight between Singapore and Newark, is part of the family of twin-engine Airbus long-range aircraft.

The planes were designed to replace the old Boeing 777 series and consume between 20% and 30% less fuel than the 777s – which is a good thing despite rising oil prices.

Singapore Airlines had launched the same non-stop route between Changi and Newark in 2004, but in 2013, the carrier was forced to cancel it. The A340-500 he was using at the time used a lot of fuel and the route eventually became too expensive to operate.

Several carriers are already using the latest A350-900s on their long-haul routes. They have higher ceilings, larger windows and lighting designed to reduce jet lag, so many good things for busy business travelers.

But the ultra-long-range version that SIA has purchased from Airbus has the longest capacity of any aircraft flying today, thanks in part to a slightly modified power system.

It can fly for 20 hours non-stop, which most aviation experts will tell you is the future of very long-haul travel, both for business and pleasure.

Mr Thomas said that it was repeatedly proven that people wanted to fly nonstop, "so these types of aircraft will experience tremendous momentum".

"The Qantas flight between Perth and London generates a load factor in the economy of 92% – and 94% as a bonus, so from the point of view of the airlines, these connections are profitable.

"We are really entering a new era of travel."