18 hours in the air
We tested the world's longest non-stop flight from Singapore to New York Newark!
... We circumnavigated the world and visited three continents in three days.
How does that feel? Great!
Already from 2004 to 2013, Singapore Airlines
operated such non-stop flights to New York and Los Angeles with Airbus A340-500 aircraft. But high fuel prices and a difficult economic environment had not brought sustainable success. With the new, twin-engine Airbus A350-900ULR, this route can now be operated differently.
But how do you prepare for the longest flight in the world?
When should you sleep, eat? Boarding starts right on time at around midnight. The aircraft has only 67 seats in Business Class and 94 in Premium Economy. Other versions of the Singapore Airlines A350 can accommodate twice as many passengers.
Seat 27F. The Airbus was only delivered on October 25, 2018.
A brief conversation with the captain, who has planned a flight time of around 17 hours. No other connection goes as far as flight SQ22 without a stopover; the scheduled flight time is 18 hours and five minutes. The non-stop route was resumed in mid-October after a five-year break. And it is currently the only one in the world that covers a distance of over 15,000 kilometers in one go.
Due to the late time of day, some passengers are already asleep
but some are still enjoying the extensive service, which begins around 90 minutes after take-off. In the meantime, they have settled into the cozy atmosphere of their Business Class seat. There is the same number of crew on board as on the other Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 flights, 13 flight attendants.
I fall asleep shortly after dinner.
Beforehand, the flight attendant helps to turn my seat into a bed by folding the backrest forward. More than five hours of sleep in a row follow. The second meal service is served 8 hours after take-off. If this is too early for you, you can choose a different time from a wide range of snacks and hot meals. For various meals on-demand, you should expect to wait 20 to 30 minutes for them to be prepared. In Premium Economy, there are three meal services at fixed times.
The flight routes can vary and are heavily dependent on the weather.
The pilot had previously stated that he was flying over Russia. But during the flight the routing was changed and it now goes past Japan and Alaska. In places there are tailwinds of up to two hundred kilometers per hour, which you want to take advantage of. There is also a brief period of daylight over the Aleutian Islands near Alaska. Incidentally, the return flight from New York to Singapore is almost exclusively over the Atlantic and Europe. The Airbus A350ULR version of Singapore Airlines also flies from Singapore to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The atmosphere in the cabin is elegant and relaxed.
The flight attendants are attentive, almost permanently present to fulfill individual wishes. For Business Class guests there is 30 MB free Internet. If you want more, it is available at a fair price. The entertainment program has been increased by over two hundred to well over a thousand hours.
Another two-hour nap over North America and after 16,501 kilometers
Landing in Newark at around 5am. Zero minutes waiting time at passport control, an advantage of the early hour. When I get out of the A350 I feel relaxed and rested, simply great!
Personal conclusion: The current generation
of long-haul aircraft such as the A350 illustrates that it has never been as pleasant as it is now to endure such long flights. In addition to the comfort of the seat and the like, the lower cabin pressure and the much fresher air on board mean a quantum leap for well-being. And the longer you fly, the more you feel it.
More information at www.singaporeair.com,special fares are available directly from Singapore Airlines in Frankfurt or from travel agencies.
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