Singapore Airlines launches world’s longest flight to New York

Hanoi (VNA) – Singapore Airlines launched the world’s longest commercial flight to New York on October 11 night with its Airbus A350-900 ULR taking off from the Changi International Airport. A spokeswoman for Singapore Airlines said that Flight SQ22 departed at approximately 11:35pm with 150 passengers and 17 crew aboard. It is scheduled to land at the Newark airport after a 16,700-km journey in at least 18 hours and 25 minutes. The long-range Airbus A350-900ULR is configured to carry up to 161 passengers – 67 in business class and 94 in premium economy, with no regular economy seats available. For the flight crew – which also includes two first officers and a 13-strong cabin contingent – the workload will be broken up, the airline said, with each pilot having a minimum eight hours’ rest during the flight. Singapore Airlines once again set a record in terms of the longest flight in the world. The airline originally flew the route for nine years using the gas-guzzling, four-engine A340-500 before abandoning it in 2013 because high oil prices made the service unprofitable. Earlier, Qatar Airways Flight 921 flew from Auckland to Doha, taking 17 hours and 40 minutes.-VNA