Singapore Airlines will take the longest route with a plane without economic seat

Singapore Airlines flight SQ22, which will take off tomorrow from the airline hub for New York, will be the longest commercial flight in the world – and there is no risk of getting into cheap seats.

The Airbus A350-900ULR (intended for "ultra-long-range") is equipped with 67 seats in business class and 94 premiums in economy class – but no savings, reflecting the airline's goal of attracting passengers paying higher fares.

An aircraft of this size can typically carry about 300 passengers in three classes, but Singapore must consider the extra amount of fuel transported by the ultra-long range version, allowing it to remain in flight for more than 20 hours.

The airline says the runway will cover up to 16,700 km and last up to 18 hours and 45 minutes, depending on weather conditions. This distance exceeds the 14,500 km service between Auckland and Doha provided by Qatar Airways for 18 months.

The flight tomorrow morning will be slightly shorter and will take the North Pacific route. Captain SL Leong orders the flight and told reporters this afternoon that the flight should take advantage of strong jet-stream tail winds of up to 200 km / h over North Asia and could take only 17 hours.

"We will take the most efficient route and, after takeoff, we will take a northeastern course on the South China Sea, Japan, the North Pacific, Alaska, northern Canada, and then to New York, "he said. the Herald.

& # 39; & # 39; It looks like it will be 17 hours according to our last flight plan. The weather will depend on the wind conditions.

He said the A350 was a "beautiful plane to fly".

This will be the first commercial flight by an ULR airline on the road that lands in Newark, New Jersey – about 25 km from Manhattan.

What is the peculiarity of the plane?

The A350-900ULR is similar to a plane like the one Cathay Pacific flies everyday in Auckland; It is a light aircraft, mainly made of carbon fiber and low fuel consumption, which however involves significant modifications.

In order to increase the fuel capacity, Airbus repositioned the sensors in the existing tanks and made some modifications to the ventilation and the piping of the wing. It allows you to add 24,000 liters of fuel at takeoff, for a total of 165,000 liters, without the need for additional fuel tanks.

There are also aerodynamic modifications, including larger winglets to reduce drag. The aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce XWB engines, which had 99.89% reliability since the middle of the year since their launch in 2015.

Airlines never pay the advertised price, but if you get off the street, Airbus would charge about $ 490 million for that plane.

Why this road?

The connection between the two world financial centers has already been completed, but it has resulted in a loss of money. Singapore Airlines took this route from 2004 to 2013, using Airbus A340-500 quad-engine aircraft. At first, they had 181 passengers, but later the airline moved to a business-class configuration with only 100 passengers.

He was popular among the lucky few who had driven him (and the flight crew consisting of six members who worked little), but was not viable, especially when the global financial crisis hit .

A spokesman for the airline said that when Singapore operated this route, he was satisfied with the demand for A340s.

& # 39; & # 39; However, the economic conditions were difficult and we flew to Airbus. The next-generation A350-900ULR is a much more efficient two-engine aircraft that can operate very long-range flights in a commercially viable way, "he said.

Since the announcement of the relaunch of the service this year, the airline has welcomed the continued growth of bookings.

Will this change the game?

The journey is a bit longer than an increasing number of ultra-long distance links, but other airlines will closely monitor the performance of the aircraft.

Air New Zealand is on the market for long-haul aircraft to replace its 777-200 aircraft early in the next decade and aspires to travel to New York from Auckland.

Qantas also challenged planners to fly from Sydney to New York or London in 20 hours.

But for the Australasian airlines, the leisure market is important: a plane with 161 premium seats would not work; they would need to carry more passengers.

How is the Singapore Airlines cabin?

All A350s are more spacious, with steeper flanks and larger windows than most others (although smaller than Boeing Dreamliners) and are pressurized at a lower altitude than normal, which helps combat against fatigue.

The low-density seats of the Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 distinguish it from others and offer more comfort.

The airline says that in business class, it will add a mattress topper for comfort and provide two pillows – a farm and a soft.

In premium economy mode, convenience kits are outnumbered and seats have been updated to include a modified calf pad and larger table.

How else can passengers enjoy the trip?

As part of the "well-being kitchen", rest and relaxation and general well-being, the airline has partnered with the Canyon Ranch retirement operator, "to reinvent very long-haul trips ", and appealed to a former American general surgeon.

Scientific strategies to improve sleep, exercise and stretching, as well as new nutrition-focused menus will be used.

Ranch Ranch leaders and nutritionists focused on nutrition and hydration (taking into account longer flight times with less body movement), combined with bold flavors and textures.

Guided stretching exercises will be available to promote relaxation. They will be led by Canyon Ranch exercise physiologists, accessible via personal seat backrest entertainment systems.

What about lobster?

It does not have to be a health retreat of nearly 19 hours. Lobster thermidor is on the menu and can be ordered in advance. It is sautéed in butter, flambéed in brandy, sprinkled with cheese and served with a creamy mushroom sauce, garlic and spicy mustard, with buttered asparagus. The crew of Singapore Airlines in its training center was asked about the unanimous choice of the most popular dish: the lobster Thermidor.

• Learn more: ultra-long distance growth

Where will the plane go?

There are three possible routes, depending on various considerations, such as the strength of the wind, and the flight could fly over the North Pacific and cross Russia and the Atlantic. The flight time can vary between 17h 30m and 18h45m, depending on the conditions.

What about the crew?

There will be four pilots working in rotation. The spokesman for Singapore Airlines said that all qualified pilots trained at the A350 would be lined up on ULR flights, the aircraft requiring no additional training, and the same goes for the 13-member airline. Cabin crew usually on board. There will be two additional flight attendants on the first flight.

& # 39; & # 39; However, crews operating on non-stop flights were asked to take a fatigue management course. Compared to a long-haul flight, the cabin crew responsible for very long-haul flights will benefit from an extra hour of rest, which will be taken in the berths of the crew members. "

Watch for the world's longest flight update tomorrow