Monster flight will redefine 'red-eye'

By CHRIS DANIELS aviation writer

Singapore Airlines is about to offer the world's longest non-stop commercial flight, a monster 18-hour, 16,600km trip between its home base and New York.

The airline, which already flies the longest non-stop service between Singapore and Los Angeles, leads the trend among carriers towards ultra-long-haul flights.

If this same flight left Auckland, a traveller could fly nonstop to New York, Moscow, Cairo or even Baghdad.

Singapore Airlines, which will begin the new service on June 28, says flying nonstop between Singapore and New York means a time saving of four hours.

Airlines are increasingly looking for new nonstop routes that avoid congested and expensive hub airports such as Los Angeles and Heathrow.

Security checks and immigration queues are also adding unwanted hours to trips - time especially precious to business travellers.

Singapore Airlines has customised an Airbus A340-500 aircraft for these new long-haul flights.

The jets usually carry up to 320 passengers, but the airline has pulled out nearly half the seats, replacing them with 117 "executive economy" seats and 64 "Raffles" or business-class lie-flat beds.

Its "executive economy" seats have a pitch (distance between rows) of 93.9cm, compared with Air NZ's long-haul economy class of 86.3cm. Freedom's seats are 76.2cm apart.

Singapore's advanced inflight entertainment system is also touted as a way for passengers to avoid the boredom of an 18-hour flight.

The plane has been configured to allow more freedom for passengers to walk about and socialise, with "passenger corners" where they can "stretch out" and help themselves to snacks and drinks.

Murray Wild, North Island manager for Singapore Airlines, said it was making up for the income lost from pulling out seats by charging a premium on the tickets. An extra US$150 ($235) per sector charge is added on, meaning a Singapore-to-Los Angeles return trip would cost another US$300.

Singapore's website quotes fares of $3546 for Australians wanting to use the service to travel from Sydney to Los Angeles via Singapore.

"For that you are getting the executive economy class with all the whistles and bells and the space bed in Raffles class, plus the privilege and pleasure of not having to change aircraft," said Mr Wild.

The Singapore-Los Angeles flights had been met with a "fantastic response".

"What's been really popular is the 'mix and mingle' area incorporated into it.

"People can wander around, have a drink, have a yarn - sort of a Rotary club in the sky."

Two flight crews (four pilots) will make the flight, with 14 cabin crew, making a better crew-to-passenger ratio than on other services.

The airline says each crew member will have four to five hours' rest on each 18-hour flight.

Long-haul Airbus aircraft have crew quarters with bunks installed at the back of the aircraft, under the main passenger deck.