By Patrick Clarke
The world’s longest flight is set to return in 2018.
Singapore Airlines announced Tuesday that its 19-hour marathon flight from Singapore to New York will resume in 2018, thanks to some help from manufacturer Airbus.
The carrier operated the non-stop flight previously but stopped service in 2013, citing inefficiency as the primary reason. What’s more, the Airbus A340-500s that were used for route were retired.
But now the airline has found an aircraft capable of efficiently meeting air travelers’ requests.
A new agreement between Singapore Airlines and Airbus will have seven of the 63 Airbus A350-900s on firm order upgraded to orders for the A350-900ULR (ultra-long-range), which boasts a flight range of up to 8,700 nautical miles.
“The A350 is the perfect, flexible platform for such operations, offering unrivaled operating economics for the very longest routes,” said Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Bregier in a statement. “And the wider and quieter cabin will provide the perfect environment for passengers to enjoy the world-famous Singapore Airlines in-flight product.”
“Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-U.S. flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,” Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said in a statement.
Phong went on to say that the service resumption will “further strengthen the Singapore hub by providing the fastest and most convenient air connectivity between North America and Southeast Asia.”
Currently, Australian flag carrier Qantas’ 17-hour flight between Dallas and Sydney is the world’s longest non-stop flight, spanning nearly 8,600 miles.
However the distance between Singapore and New York stretches nearly 1,000 miles longer.
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