Singapore Airlines to Add World’s Longest Flight

Singapore Airlines announced its intentions of once again holding the record for the world’s longest flight thanks to the upcoming addition of the new Airbus A350-900 Ultra Long-Range plane.

According to The Straits Times, when Airbus debuts the A350-900 later this year, Singapore will be the first airline to take delivery of the plane. Once in service, the aircraft will be used to operate the Singapore-to-Newark route the carrier was forced to cancel in 2013 due to prohibitive operational costs.

The route from Singapore to New Jersey is 9,521 miles and will take 19 hours to complete, making it the longest flight in the world. With the new A350-900, which is capable of flying up to 11,160 miles, the route is once again affordable for the airline.

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A 19-hour flight would be daunting to any passenger, so Singapore announced it intends to fly a two-class configuration, which will include business and premium economy. The plane will be fitted with lighting proven to lessen the impact of jetlag and a circulation system that will renew the air every two minutes.

When the new Singapore-Newark route finally launches, it will be one hour longer than the current world record holder, Qatar’s route from Auckland to Doha, which carries passengers 9,032 miles over 18 hours.

In total, Singapore ordered seven A350-900 aircraft with the intent of expanding its long-haul service around the world. The carrier also revealed plans to add a nonstop 15-hour flight to Los Angeles in 2019.