Forget Perth to London or Qatar to Auckland, Singapore Airlines is, once again, home to the longest commercial flight in the world.
But here’s the catch: you’ll have to pay a little more for the (almost) 19-hour flight.
You’ll also be able to experience it from October 11 – and that’s just two days time!
The 10,400-mile flight will go from Singapore’s Changi Airport to New York (or Newark Liberty International Airport, to be specific) and will carry a maximum of 161 passengers on brand new, ultra long A350-900, which will also be used on non-stop routes to LA come November.
Usually, the A350-900 planes carry up to 253 passengers – which means that the flight to New York will have more space.
But to make more space, Singapore Airlines have axed economy class on the extra-long route, opting instead of 94 premium economy seats and 67 lie-flat seats in business class.
The premium economy seats offer an increased, eight-inch recline, but the legroom leaves little to be excited about – and is actually less than on long-haul routes on some other airlines.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Singapore Airlines will serve wellness meals on these routes in an attempt to counteract the effects of being stuck in a seat for a long period of time.
The ‘Wellness Set Menu’ includes dishes like prawn ceviche, organic chicken and zucchini pappardelle, as well as braised pork with citrus, in a partnership with Canyon Ranch.
Canyon Ranch offers “science-based recommendations and strategies for improved sleep, balanced meal choices and exercises that promote circulation”, and includes on-board dishes with reduced salt and sugar and more fennel and turmeric – ingredients which the company said promote hydration and nutrition.
You can also eat Singapore Airlines’ faves on-board, like chicken rice and beef hor fun. Plus, you can order up-market dishes like lobster thermidor or rib-eye steak (as long as you do so 24 hours before departure).
When you’re bored of eating, Singapore Airlines have added 200 hours of movies and TV shows on top of the 1000 already available – from new releases to international flicks.
Oh, and there’s Wi-Fi on board too. A business-class ticket will afford you 30MB of free internet, while 20MB will cost $6USD or 200MB for $28USD.
So what are you waiting for? We’re sure you can book a last-minute ticket.
