“This Is a Clean-Sheet Design.” The New Route With No Economy Seats
Jennifer Billock October 10, 2018
Singapore Airlines is breaking records with its newest flight: a 19-hour-long route from Singapore to New York that is now the longest flight in the world; the aircraft used to fly the route only has two cabins, and neither of them are economy, plus it’s supposed to be much more comfortable than other flights.
Congratulations to Singapore Airlines for newly breaking a record: the airline is now flying the longest flight in the world, from Singapore to New York City. It’s a 19-hour flight, and it has one unique perk for passengers: there’s no economy class.
The plane running this new flight will have 161 seats. Sixty-seven of those will be lie-flat business class seats, and 94 of them will be premium economy seats. Because passengers will be spending such a long time on the plane, Singapore Airlines is focusing on comfort and well-being rather than stuffing people in like sardines.
In-flight meals are coming from a partnership with a spa and focus on nutrition and hydration. There’s also WiFi, a Book the Cook perk, 200 more hours of entertainment options on top of the 1,000 already available, and a cabin design meant to help you forget you’re in an airplane at all.
“The A350 is a clean-sheet design that has been designed for those long-range flights,” Airbus’ aircraft interiors marketing director for the A350, Florent Petteni, told CNN Travel. “You may not exactly pinpoint why it’s so comfortable and so nice to be flying on this airplane, but everything was done on purpose.”
[Image: Singapore Airlines]
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Sorry, realized you must have meant years ago when the route was flown on the A340-500.
@Dublin_rft: On October 11, 2018, you wrote that you had already flown EWR-SIN-EWR. That's impossible. The first flight SQ 21 out of EWR departed on Friday October 12, 2018 and is scheduled to arrive into SIN on October 13, 2018. Why lie?
Due to scheduling I was lucky(?) enough to fly this SQ route with the A340-500 in both directions (EWR-SIN-EWR). With ALL bis seats all with direct aisle access. Let me tell you IT'S A LONG FLIGHT! Even with a limited number of seats lay-flat or not. Given the choice I'll take a stop (or two) before jumping back on the nonstop again.
OMG, are you serious? The A340-500 was one of the most un-economical planes to operate in recent history. Airlines who ordered them new had them for specific purposes, mostly ultra-long hauls but when fuel prices rose they no longer could run them profitably. The A350 and Boeing 787 were complete game changers for that market segment, so airlines are able to do it once again.
Its too bad other airlines will probably not follow suit by getting rid of regular economy on these ultra long haul routes. Although price wise, I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.