To commemorate the longest flight in civil aviation from Singapore to New york, SIA has work with Jaeger-LeCoultre to release a limited edition watch (only 60 in the world). The back of the watch will be made from 18k gold to signify the 18 hours taken for the Sg-EWR flight. A certificate will also be issued with every purchase. The watch comes with 2 version: one made with white gold (S$49000; only 10 watches; the one shown on the newspaper), the other made from stainless steel( S$14800). (information from the news article below from lianhe zaobao)

http://img73.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ylstan03/Miscelleneous/DSCN15771.jpg

need more pics!!

ooh i found

the platinum dial
http://www.tp178.com/tjn/jlc/sia/platdial.jpg

special back
http://www.tp178.com/tjn/jlc/sia/siaback.jpg



stainless steel version
http://www.tp178.com/tjn/jlc/sia/steel.jpg




platinum version
http://www.tp178.com/tjn/jlc/sia/platinum.jpg




Functions:

Main Time Zone
- Hour, minute, centre seconds
- Date
- Luminescent numerals and hour markers

Second Time Zone
- Hour and minute
- 24-city disc including Singapore, a first for JLC Compressor Geographic
- AM/PM indicator
- Water resistance to 100M
- Patented compression key at 2 and 4 o’clock position

Case:
- Diameter of 41.5mm
- Cambered Sapphire Crystal hardness #9
- 1000 hour control tested

Seal on case-back:
- Singapore Airline logo
- Seal in 18k gold for Stainless Steel and in Platinum for Platinum version

Movement:
- Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 923
- Mechanical automatic movement, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand
- 281 parts
- 28,800 vph
- Power-reserve of approximately 45 hours

I was curious, what is actually the world's LONGEST flight that includes refuelling stops? Tokyo - Sao Paulo? Sydney - London? Papeete - Paris?

@Heirloom: Thanks for the pictures......the time piece is a classic....:D

Business Times - 07 Jul 2004

SIA takes non-stop trend to record-setting extreme
By JOE SHARKEY

(NEW YORK) 'You're doing what?' my wife said a couple of weeks ago when I sprang it on her.

'I'm going around the world.'

'Why?' she asked.

I had no sensible reply for that, other than that I could.

And I did. Last Monday, Singapore Airlines (SIA) began flying the longest non-stop commercial flight in history, from Singapore to Newark. In order to ride on it, I had to get to Singapore, obviously.

So four days earlier, I took a one-stop to Singapore - 22 hours, counting a three-hour layover in Amsterdam. Then on Monday, June 28, I boarded the new non-stop and flew 10,300 miles - and a little over 18 hours - back to Newark. To catch prevailing tail winds, both flights flew eastward, so I literally went around the world.

Non-stops are increasingly important to business travellers. Travel to and from Asia is booming, and it is expected to continue expanding indefinitely, especially as China emerges as a major business destination. That means more business travellers will be facing longer flights, and major airlines are gearing up to grab the business.

It's a high-end market, too. Business travellers important enough to be sent halfway around the world usually aren't expected to sit in the middle seat in coach, knees jammed against a tray table for 12 or 18 hours. 'Business class is where all the action is' in long-haul markets for business travellers, said Eddie Ong, the director of in-flight services for SIA.

My outbound flight from Newark was on a SIA 747, in business class. Like British Air, Virgin Atlantic and several other international carriers in the trans-Atlantic markets, SIA offers great food and service, along with spacious seats that glide down into fully flat beds with the touch of a keypad.

Each seat has its own video screen with headphones. Among the 400 on-demand video and audio selections were 60 movies. I ate, dozed and read a good chunk of Stalin: The Court of the Red Star, by Simon Sebag Montefiore before the plane arrived for the stopover at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

Many regard Schiphol as one of the world's best airports, but you couldn't tell that from this experience. With a horde of fellow passengers, I stood in a stifling international holding pen for three hours until we all were allowed to reboard the 747 for the long stretch to Singapore.

On that leg, I watched four movies. One of them was the inane, ribald and in my opinion quite amusing comedy Along Came Polly. A moment of surrealism occurred when, during this silly and distinctly American movie, I glanced over to my neighbour's video screen, which displayed the in-flight map that shows exactly where the plane is; we were about seven miles above Kabul.

Movies, good food and drink, flat-bed snoozing and dictator-biography reading aside, the flight seemed interminable, mostly because of the uncomfortable layover in the Amsterdam holding pen.

Give me a non-stop, I thought upon arrival in Singapore at 6.30 am, to begin a long day of meetings and interviews.

SIA acquired a fleet of ultra-long-haul, four-engine Airbus A345 aircraft specifically to provide non-stop service on super-long routes, and configured them in two classes: its Raffles business class and its Executive Economy class.

These planes - SIA currently has five, with an option to buy five more from Airbus - were introduced earlier this year on a new non-stop route between Los Angeles and Singapore.

In an era when domestic airlines, and many foreign carriers as well, are cramming as many people into as many tiny seats as is physically possible, SIA configured the new A345s with 64 flat-bed seats in business and 117 seats in economy.

The coach seats have a spacious 37-inch pitch - the distance between your seat and the one ahead of you - and also have the same in-flight entertainment systems as the ones in business class.

'The A345 is not a wide airplane, but we designed it so you get a sense of space,' said Yeoh Teng Kwong, SIA's senior manager for product innovation. Though SIA configured the planes with only 181 seats, 'you could put in 250 seats if you wanted to'.

A crucial marketing decision, made to cater to the long-haul passenger, was to leave out seats to create more interior space, including a small self-service snack bar area where passengers can stretch their legs and congregate.

'Years back, when we produced the Singapore to London non-stop, there were also some doubters as to whether passengers would get used to flying in a confined pace for 13 hours,' Mr Yeoh said.

'Now, it has become almost unthinkable for anybody who wants to travel from Asia to Europe to fly via another transit point. Everybody's going for a non-stop. So that product has become accepted in the market, and the same will go for the ultra-long haul flights.'

The aircraft industry is betting on that. In 2006, Airbus will introduce its long-haul A380 aircraft, capable of carrying more than 800 passengers.

There is intense speculation over how the various airlines who have ordered the super-jumbos will configure them. Some will undoubtedly fly them as cattle cars, while others will put in far fewer seats and market the planes for their walk-about comfort.

Meanwhile, Boeing is developing the 7E7 Dreamliner, which has a range of up to 9,800 miles. It is promoting it as a plane that provides 'comfortable, non-stop, point-to-point travel to more destinations around the world'.

Oh, about my return flight, the historic non-stop one. Still exhausted from my trip over, I slept for a total of 13 hours on the way home. It's the first time I've ever been able to work off jet lag on a jet. - NYT

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

He talks more about his stopover flight then the non-stop flight in the end! Quite a funny read anyway. :D

Business Times - 10 Jul 2004

Sit back and relax - Next stop, New York

By CHEAH UI-HOON

FLYING to New York is literally a breeze now that you can kick back, stretch your legs out and choose from 60 movies on Singapore Airlines' 18-hour, non-stop flight from Singapore to New York.

And if you're a movie buff, all the better. Having that selection of 60 movies-on-demand did it for me, for sure, when I joined the regional press contingent on the inaugural flight on June 28.

Usually, cramped economy seats would be anybody's fear factor on a long flight, but that's certainly not the case for this flight - which has only executive economy (117 seats) and business class (64) seats for grabs. Plenty of leg space, for sure.

So here's a brief blog of my ride Eastwards: Watch movie number one. Lunch is served. Join other passengers in whining a little when the stewardess runs out of the gourmet selection (chicken by London chef Gordon Ramsey) and the air stewardess promises to start serving from the back of the plane for the dinner round.

Watch movie number two. Take a break at the galley. Earlier, the captain had announced that no more than six people should be there at any one time otherwise it would be deemed an 'illegal' gathering. Apparently, this has something to do with American air laws, which makes for a great topic of conversation at the galley - where, I discover, is also a good place for people to network.

It is almost dinner time, and this time all of us at the back get our choice of roasted fish fillet in a New England clam chowder sauce with bacon and spinach, exclusively created by Alfred Portale of New York's Gotham Bar & Grill.

By the time we arrived in Newark, I'd watched two more movies, and two sitcoms, but hardly slept much - due mostly to the fact it was a day flight and when one just isn't very tired from sitting around the whole day.

On the return flight - where I flew business class - sleeping wasn't a problem because it was an 11pm flight (plus having the sleeper seat which practically reclined back all the way, with only a slight incline).

The galley at Business Class where passengers can snack and stretch their legs was less spacious compared to the Executive Economy section - understandably because we have sleeper beds - and wasn't very conducive to small talk either (passengers sitting near the galley complained of the chatter. Or are business class travellers just more whiny? )

Here's a tip: When choosing seats, pick those that aren't too near the toilets and the galleys. Being in the middle of the aircraft is best, namely rows 12 to 14, and 17 to 22 for Raffles Class, and rows 31 and 32, and 36 to 45 in Executive Economy.

Given a choice of a direct flight to New York versus a one-stop - which could either break up your sleep or movie-watching time, and make you go through the hassle of packing up, leaving the aircraft and coming back in goodness knows how many hours later - which would you choose? It's a no-brainer.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Watch movie number two. Take a break at the galley. Earlier, the captain had announced that no more than six people should be there at any one time otherwise it would be deemed an 'illegal' gathering. Apparently, this has something to do with American air laws, which makes for a great topic of conversation at the galley - where, I discover, is also a good place for people to network.
That paragraph caught my attention almost instantly. So this was the ruling put in place by the Americans after they forbid too many ppl from queuing up for the loos for instance? :D Remember I was once wondering what will happen to the galley!

That paragraph caught my attention almost instantly. So this was the ruling put in place by the Americans after they forbid too many ppl from queuing up for the loos for instance? :D Remember I was once wondering what will happen to the galley!

Haha....so now you know..... ;) It seems like most of the accounts of the longest flight seems positive....I hope they keep it up.....:)

I have seen both positive and negative comments....although the news articles seem to do a better job of balancing. Just try looking in aviation forums thou! :D

I have seen both positive and negative comments....although the news articles seem to do a better job of balancing. Just try looking in aviation forums thou! :D

I think i saw some negative comments about it in some avaition forum.....most of them were complaining about the long hours it seems.....:)

Why do these people complain about the long hours when the majority of them have not even been on the flight before. Do they think that there is nothing to do on board? This is SIA, home of KrisWorld. This isn't a domestic airline where the only entertainment that can be found are from the big screen at the front of the cabin showing one standard oldie movie rerun. And if this doesn't please them, they can go fly to their destination with a stop in between. They are not compelled to fly non stop. After all, SIA had said that this service is for a certain niche market.

Why do these people complain about the long hours when the majority of them have not even been on the flight before. Do they think that there is nothing to do on board? This is SIA, home of KrisWorld. This isn't a domestic airline where the only entertainment that can be found are from the big screen at the front of the cabin showing one standard oldie movie rerun. And if this doesn't please them, they can go fly to their destination with a stop in between. They are not compelled to fly non stop. After all, SIA had said that this service is for a certain niche market.

Haha....I think perhaps those who complain are those super fussy passengers so I would take their comments with a pinch of salt... ;) ...With the krisworld in place, most should not have a problem with it....:cool:

I saw a complaint that krisworld breaks down often. Is that substantiated?

Krisworld is said to be the most advanced entertainment system.

Hard to think it breaks down alot.

Hmm...but apparantly someone complained about it quite bitterly in another forum. I will try to find it and post it here if I can.

I like Krisworld, playing the games, everything.

I like Krisworld, playing the games, everything.
You like nintendo? :D Which sector did you fly on, btw?

Raffles Class, Auckland to Singapore, the most comfort and best service ever imaginable.

Though, I don't usually fly business class by myself.

The ad for the Singapore-LA flight

http://www.jivha.com/blog/archives/images/singapore_airlines_jpg.jpg

http://www.jivha.com/blog/archives/2003/11/28/the-singapore-airlines-ad.html

Both of the LA-SG flight avertisements were really cool. :)

Anyone saw the NYC-SG one yet?

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sitelogos/Guardian.gif

Airbus puts a stop to stopovers

Ultra-long haul flights can cut four hours off flight times. But it's doubtful they will take off here, says Ben Flanagan

Sunday July 25, 2004
The Observer

The airport stopover may become a thing of the past following a string of record-breaking flights and the introduction of ultra-long haul aircraft that could potentially carry passengers from London to Australia non-stop.

With Concorde's retirement putting commercial supersonic travel out of the picture, a new niche market for the business traveller is tipped to be luxury long-haul flights on aircraft that do not need to refuel or pick up extra passengers en route.

But this trend is likely to worry medical experts, who warn of an increased risk of viral infections, and of deep vein thrombosis among those not exercising enough on board.

Existing and potential ultra long-haul routes are mostly trans-Pacific, but the new Airbus 340-500, which has a range of 9,000 nautical miles (equivalent to 10,360 land miles) and is used by Singapore Airlines on its ultra long-haul routes, has the capability to fly from London to western Australia.

Tussles between rivals Boeing and Airbus at last week's Farnborough International Air Show centred on their newest planes, the midsize 7E7 and the biggest-ever commercial airliner, the 550-capacity A380. But amid debate over whether higher capacity can save this ailing industry, a quieter battle is brewing over the luxury ultra long-haul market.

Boeing currently produces an aircraft with an 8,000 mile range, but in January 2006 it will deliver the first of its 777-200LR aircraft, which can fly 9,280 nautical miles non-stop. The first customers are Taiwan-based Eva Airways and Pakistan International Air lines. Each will take delivery of two or three aircraft and is likely to operate routes direct to North America.

'We think that these long-haul flights are the way of the future,' says Randy Baseler, Boeing vice-president for marketing. 'Concorde was getting premium fares by saving time. Now if you're not having to connect at a hub, you're saving three to four hours. That's like having the aeroplanes flying faster.'

Baseler claims that the new 777-200LR could fly from London to Perth with a full load of passengers and to Sydney with a 90 per cent load. But the return Sydney-London 'is a more arduous journey, so fewer passengers could travel - so it may not be economically viable'.

Last month Singapore Airlines launched the longest ever non-stop passenger flight. The 8,900-mile journey between New York and Singapore beat the airline's own record, on its Singapore-Los Angeles service launched in February, by about 1,000 miles.

The 18-hour flying time is longer than that of the Singapore-to-LA route (although shorter than the return LA to Singapore journey, which takes a different route with stronger tailwinds). The airline is exploring future ultra long-haul routes between Singapore and San Francisco or Chicago.

On 1 July Cathay Pacific launched an ultra long-haul service between New York and Hong Kong, which eliminates the need for a stopover in Vancouver and has a flight time of between 16.5 and 18 hours depending on weather conditions.

Continental Airlines has an existing non-stop service which, like many ultra long-haul routes, flies newly available routes over the North Pole and down through Siberian airspace.

Some aviation experts are sceptical about the demand for ultra long-haul flights outside these prime trans-Pacific routes. 'European airlines don't have the need for such long-range aircraft because of geography,' says Chris Avery, analyst at JP Morgan. 'I'd be surprised if a UK airline bought a couple of ultra-long range aircraft just to do Sydney non-stop.'

A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic, for example, which is launching a new London-Sydney route via Hong Kong at the end of the year, says the company is 'not currently looking at this aircraft type'.

Avery says: 'It's not a game-changer, but airlines are always looking for more range. The question is: will the demand for a 9,000-mile range aircraft exceed that of a 5,000-6,000 mile aircraft?'

Stephen Clapham, invest ment analyst at Williams de Broë, is also cautious about the universal appeal of ultra long-haul flights: 'I don't think it will spell the end of stopovers. Not everyone will want to go direct. If you're a businessman in a hurry, there's no option. But if you're on holiday, you might quite like a one-day stopover.'

Peter Morris, chief economist at Airclaims, says: 'It will be a case of "the stopover is dead, long live the stopover". What you are going to get is a price/time trade-off. People who are cash-rich and time-poor will choose non-stop routes. It's a niche market.'

It is telling that Singapore Airlines has geared its nonstop services specifically to the US business traveller. Its fleet of A340-500s has been specially adapted to carry just 181 passengers instead of 313.

Return tickets on Singapore Airlines' New York route cost £650 in the enhanced 'executive economy' class and £3,000 in the 'Raffles' business class, 5-10 per cent more expensive than stopover routes. The airline says that these prices are likely to rise with demand.

But despite the evolving market for further, faster and fancier services, the main debate in the aviation world at the moment is whether to go bigger.

'At one end of the spectrum you've got specialist services that can command a premium. On the other are those that can provide volume,' says Morris.

So while the A380 should be up and running to ferry people in bulk to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, it is likely to be accompanied by a number of smaller, luxury, nonstop services.

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sitelogos/Guardian.gif

So what do you do for 18 hours?

Sunday July 25, 2004
The Observer

It was going to be a test of human, as much as technological, endurance. So amid the media throng and tight security prior to the inaugural non-stop flight from New York to Singapore, one question was on everyone's lips: just what do you do for 18 hours on an aeroplane?

'I'm pretty sure I'll keep myself busy,' said passenger Naresh Desai, managing director of a Singapore-based asset management company. 'I've just bought Clinton's new book - I should just about finish it.'

If anyone knew what to expect, it was passenger Isabelle Chu from Perth, Australia. She had just arrived on the first incoming nonstop flight from Singapore to Newark with one purpose in mind: to fly straight back again. She was on the 17,500-nautical mile, 36-hour round trip with three other aviation buffs. 'This is history - the longest ever commercial flight - and a chance to be among the first to experience it won't happen again in a long time,' ' she said.

Flying north over Manhattan towards the Appalachian mountains, we were served wine before a very late dinner at 1.30am. My 'executive economy' seat was comfy enough at 50cm wide and with extra legroom and recline. But some passengers - even those in the 'Raffles' business class, who had flat reclining beds - were underwhelmed by the seating in a plane much hyped for its 'executive' appeal.

Seasoned business traveller Eric from Manhattan, who wouldn't give his surname, grumbled: 'If they put in a good seat I'd fly again.' Others were more positive. 'For an 18-hour flight this isn't bad,' said executive economy passenger Jim Harris from Massachusetts. 'The first-class service on some other airlines is not as good.'

Unlike many on board I didn't sleep for long, but watched films - there were 60 to chose from - drank G&Ts and chatted with others in the much-touted 'passenger areas' as we flew over the North Pole at 6am. It was the most sociable flight I'd been on - there was plenty of time to make friends.

Few seemed bothered about the possible health risks of being up in the air for so long. One passenger was actually a specialist in blood coagulation and DVT. 'Personally I'm not concerned,' said the Duke University doctor. 'I think the risk is relatively low for the healthy person.'

There were a couple of laptops open but most travellers seemed to be catching up on sleep. 'It's peaceful on a plane - no cellphone, no emails, no one bugging you,' said passenger Gary Ho, after 17 hours on board. 'I'm going back to work as soon as I touch down. All I need is a shower.'

Ah, a shower. When we touched down to applause at 5.20am - two days after we left - that was the only thing on my mind as well.

SEPT 6, 2004
Time-off vital for pilots on ultra-long flights: study
48 hours without work before flying and four nights off after that are part of rest time for the pilots
By Karamjit Kaur

WHEN Senior First Officer Shane Landsberger has to pilot a non-stop Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight to America, he is freed from all work for 48 hours.

At the end of the journey, he will get four nights off before he is asked to fly again. And while flying, he gets two breaks, not one as in typical long-haul flights to Europe.

These time-offs are vital, according to preliminary results of a study done on the performances of SFO Shane, 32, and about 120 SIA pilots, who are the first in the world to operate such ultra-long flights with the Airbus 345.

In disclosing some of the tests done for the study to The Straits Times, SFO Shane said: 'Safety is a key priority and it is critical that the pilots remain alert, especially during the take-off and landing.'

The study is being done by a task force led by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

Its results will be shared with the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations next month when its panel investigating the same issue meets in Singapore.

The panel's chairman, Captain Greg Fallow, told The Straits Times that the information being gathered is very important for two reasons.

One, it will be used to confirm actual levels of crew alertness during operations against the accuracy of predicted alertness levels of crews determined by bio-mathematical modelling techniques.

Two, it will show how the operations between Singapore and Los Angeles compare with the longer fights to New York.

'In terms of aviation safety it is important that we learn first-hand from the experience of others,' said Captain Fallow, a pilot with Air New Zealand.

It's been more than seven months since SIA's inaugural 16-hour flight to Los Angeles in February and about three months since its first 18-hour New York service in June.

The research, however, has not stopped. It fact, it has been going on since 1997 when the CAAS formed a task force with SIA and the Air Line Pilots Association Singapore (Alpa-S), to study the impact of ultra-long flights on pilots and crew.

The group was also to determine whether new rules and regulations were needed for the operation of the new aircraft.

SFO Shane represents Alpa-S in this task force which began the study by putting pilots flying long-haul from say Singapore to London or Hong Kong to San Francisco through a battery of onboard tests, to monitor their level of alertness.

The pilots were wired up to monitor brain waves and given special watches to monitor their activity level.

The same tests were continued on board the non-stop American flights.

Said SFO Shane: 'Flying long-haul is not a new thing for SIA. Before I started flying the A345, I was doing Singapore-Europe for example, which takes more than 10 hours.'

Hong Kong-Las Vegas takes about 14 hours, he added. However, there is a big difference in the American service, said SFO Shane.

'I used to fly long-haul once in a few months because I was also doing short and medium-haul flights. The mix means you have ample time to rest and recover before the next long flight.

'Now, I fly the A345 non-stop to America at least twice a month. Two times a month may not seem that many but it's very taxing.'

The mid-air breaks can be a problem for some pilots.

Said SFO Shane: 'It's not always easy to force yourself to go to sleep during your break but you know you must, so that when it's your turn to man the controls, you are alert.'

How does he do it?

'If I am flying to New York at noon and my rest time is at 2pm, I make it a point to get up extra early that morning and maybe go to the gym.'

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

SEPT 6, 2004
Fatigue?: No problems so far

FEARS of pilot fatigue on the new, non-stop flights between Singapore and the United States are unfounded, accord- ing to the preliminary results of a study.

Scientists analysing data collected by a task force led by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) are satisfied that there are no safety concerns.

This interim report produced by the European Committee for Aircrew Scheduling and Safety and Massey University in New Zealand said the pilots do not have any problems staying alert and focused during the flights.

The conclusion was based on data collected from monitoring the pilots on the Singapore-Los Angeles service introduced by Singapore Airlines in February, the CAAS' spokesman said.

The data was collected between February and July.

He quoted the report as saying: 'There is no evidence, at this stage, of any undue problems associated with the implementation of this new operation. Alertness (of the pilots) is sustained as a result of the additional time available for rest and the ability of the crews to take two rest periods in flight.'

The final report will be out next year, he said, adding that data is still being collected for the Singapore-New York service which started in June.

Meanwhile, the CAAS has been sharing the information with others, including the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines. The results will be presented this week in Sun City, South Africa, at the International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine. Participants from more than 50 countries are attending it.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Alright at least that should hopefully quell concerns over one vital aspect of aviation safety for long haui flights! ;)

Wellhaving my longest flight ( straight ) EK412
11 Sep 04 10:15 am departs Dubai (DXB)
12 Sep 04 6:05 am arrives Sydney Kingsford Smith Apt (SYD)
Total travel time 13:50 <---- Ouch

my longest non direct flight was something like 30 hours from somewhere in florida (jacksonville? orlando?) to singapore! there were 5 segments... not sure if 30 hours included stopover times, but the whole period i ate nothing and slept all the way :D

that huge !

Hmm....I will be wondering how all these flights compare in terms of actual route length, rather then the great circle one, but the later can be used as a very rough guage for now?

This listing is an attempt to rank all non-stop flights currently being operated by at least one airline in terms of great-circle distances, but it is not exhaustive in the sense that I have not finished doing all the research yet.Flights in bold are currently in service.

• Singapore-New York City: 9534 miles (15343 km) (8285 nautical miles) via Singapore Airlines
• London-Perth: 8998 miles (14481 km) (7819 nautical miles) via Qantas, speculated route
• Auckland-New York City: 8819 miles (14192 km) (7663 nautical miles) via Emirates by mid-2005
• Singapore-Los Angeles: 8774 miles (14121 km) (7625 nautical miles) via Singapore Airlines
• Johannesburg-Atlanta: 8421 miles (13552 km) (7318 nautical miles) via South African Airways
• Cape Town-Atlanta: 8121 miles (13070 km) (7057 nautical miles) via South African Airways
• Hong Kong-New York City: 8098 miles (13033 km) (7037 nautical miles) via Continental, Cathay Pacific from 1st July
• Johannesburg-New York City: 7960 miles (12810 km) (6917 nautical miles) via South African Airways
• Melbourne-Los Angeles: 7918 miles (12743 km) (6881 nautical miles) via Qantas
• Hong Kong-Toronto: 7838 miles (12614 km) (6811 nautical miles) via Air Canada from 1st August
• Hong Kong-Chicago: 7822 miles (12589 km) (6798 nautical miles) via United Airlines
• Sydney-Los Angeles: 7487 miles (12049 km) (6506 nautical miles) via Qantas, United Airlines, Air Canada
• Dubai-Sydney: 7484 miles (12044 km) (6503 nautical miles) via Emirates
• Doha-Melbourne: 7447 miles (11984 km) (6471 nautical miles) via Qatar Airways from late 2004
• Dubai-Melbourne: 7249 miles (11666 km) (6299 nautical miles) via Emirates from 2nd July
• Hong Kong-Los Angeles: 7233 miles (11640 km) (6285 nautical miles) via Cathay Pacific
• New Delhi-Toronto: 7222 miles (11623 km) (6276 nautical miles) via Air Canada

If anyone know of a city pair currently served by at least one airline, and is longer then any in the list above (above 7000 miles), please to post them here, along with the airline(s) operating the sector plus the distance from this site:

http://www.indo.com/distance/
Auckland-NYC????????

it will happen !

Eh, same avatar as me ah? :D

it will happen !
Fair enough considering there is no NZD-NYC flights yet.

Opps...
Posted in wrong thread...

• Hong Kong-Chicago: 7822 miles (12589 km) (6798 nautical miles) via United Airlines
• Hong Kong-Los Angeles: 7233 miles (11640 km) (6285 nautical miles) via Cathay Pacific
• Hong Kong-Toronto: 7838 miles (12614 km) (6811 nautical miles) BUT NOT by AC, is CX



Long Haul flight is really of terrible and panic encounter to travel that I loved for stopover at midway

15 Hrs in flight traveling is the mankind had become tolerable as I believe so :)

Isan....Cathay dosent fly from Hong Kong to Toronto direct...it stops over at Anchorage. Only Air Canada flies that route. ;)

Isan....Cathay dosent fly from Hong Kong to Toronto direct...it stops over at Anchorage. Only Air Canada flies that route. ;)


YES huaiwei, AC operated a new non-stop flight to YYZ that I forgot ;)

CX has also has semi-non-stop program for YYZ indeed since 1999 that providing of one sector rounting direct

They depend on tail wind are not, if so it would be able on non-stop directly from HKG/YYZ vv :) and about to take 15 &1/2 hr.

While in head wind is needed for one stopover at ANC, now changed to YVR on return VV

It is really bad and journey more than 18Hrs during on flight and I hate it mostly because A340-300 too narrow and spacious less

747-400 is more be comfort and OK for long-haul that 3 route were flight often but they are not to be mine preferential but no choice :cry: Wo~~~~~~~

Still be yearn for AC directly flight for YYZ from KIX in the summer
Only 12 and half Hrs indeed :) :)

You mean on the HK-Toronto leg, the flight is non-stop?

Yes, if the flight on east from west at tail wind
CX828 is the direct flight onward to YYZ
No need to make a stopover to ANC/YVR

BUT the weather is on head wind from east to west
then the flight is needed for technical landing for one stop

:)

18 hours approx London to Manila/Manila to London (i believe it could be abit more).. its crazy.. i wonder if i wanted to go to Tonga from here?.. 26 hours? LOL

Yes, if the flight on east from west at tail wind
CX828 is the direct flight onward to YYZ
No need to make a stopover to ANC/YVR

BUT the weather is on head wind from east to west
then the flight is needed for technical landing for one stop

:)
Icic.....I shall update the listing when I re-do it then. Thanks for the info! ;)

Lumpia...which airline flies direct from Manila to London? PAL?

Hmm....seem like there is more and more such flights this days......:yes:

Seems like ultra long range airplanes has create new mkt trend.........

Yeah, and I will be waiting to see what effects the new B777-200LR will do, as well as each newer plane with ever longer range comes by!

Anyone wanna speculate how long it will take before we get a plane which can fly us halfway round the world? ;)

well had a good tail wind so took only 13 hours
the extra hour was still spent waiting on the tarmac at DXB airport due to the landing times at sydney.
was not a fun night wish i could afford to go better class of travel i think next time rather go via singapore and take an extra day off
about 1/2 around the world not sure but must be next gen before commerial so like 12 years ?

Woah....just 12 years? ;)

Anyway the airport did not anticipate that the plane will arrive earlier then expected?

airport in sydney is closed till 6am
stupid closed from 11pm-6am cause of residents near by even though the airport has been there longer than they have. So no flights before that at all
hence why we sat on tarmac in dubai !
i guess 12 years is way to soon

Oh....now I understand!

Wont it be better for Emirates to adjust their flight schedule then? The flight you took was recently launched?

start of this year
it was only because of the tail winds that exisited on that day that flight time was decreased by 50 mins and i guess they would rather stay on the ground and save fuel and take up space in dubai than ciricle sydney for an hour

Icic....I suppose I have to remind myself that the flights we are talking about are so long here, that the weather can actually result in flight times deviating by as much as an hour! ;)

my longest non direct flight was something like 30 hours from somewhere in florida (jacksonville? orlando?) to singapore! there were 5 segments... not sure if 30 hours included stopover times, but the whole period i ate nothing and slept all the way :D
If you flew today, you would probably need only 2 segments....SIA has a an agreement with Virgin Atlantic allowing you to easily fly to London and onwards to Orlando!

that still sounds... horribly long..

that still sounds... horribly long..
Haha...but still much shorter then the hours you seem to have spent cropped up in an airline seat! ;)

what we need are those hypersonic planes that skip on the earth's atmostphere at mach 25.

Sounds like an immense lot of hydrocarbon to me.

it's supposed to be very fuel efficient or something because they're skipping on the atmosphere not going through it. i can't remember exactly how it works.

it's supposed to be very fuel efficient or something because they're skipping on the atmosphere not going through it. i can't remember exactly how it works.
Er...yeah something like that, but I dont know how many can stomach that kind of bouncing on a regular basis!

uhm.. dunno about that.. didnt think it would be that violent.

huaiwei yep thats true
some thing like 90 k hours makes diff
faster planes I wish there were space planes

it took 14 hours from a direct flight from houston to tokyo but only 10 hours on the way back...

LOL 14 hours is nothing ;)

14 is still heavy avatar if not agree with you
can be a very bad trip

I suppose it depends on which airlines you guys are accustomed to on those long haul flights? :D

i am taken many
but the 14 did not aggree with me as i did not sleep well at all

I see. Any particular airlines you would recommend or not recommend for those super long flights...other then SIA? ;)

Actually I feel that a good travel companion helps in this aspects(long hour travel)......time just flies when you enjoying yourself......:yes:

Actually I feel that a good travel companion helps in this aspects(long hour travel)......time just flies when you enjoying yourself......:yes:
Well, since there is now a pro-family stance taken by the government, how about providing rooms just for that? :D

definitely having someone to travel with makes it less torturous.. but if it turns out to be a group can be very annoying for otherpassengers also haha.

an empty seat next to you on a long flight is bliss.................

entertainment options are also very important. SIA's KrisWorld offers an almost unlimited choice of long and short feature films :cool:

hrm... for me i can pretty much sleep in any position.. standing even. and i'm short too, so i wont really make use of an empty seat. i find the raised edges of the seat a bit uncomfortable to lie on.

Leg Room is more important to any long-haul flight traveller

an empty seat next to you on a long flight is bliss.................

entertainment options are also very important. SIA's KrisWorld offers an almost unlimited choice of long and short feature films :cool:
Erm...you could actually prop your leg up on the next seat?? I would be embarrased to do so!

an onbard bar like those on the first 747's upper deck is great on long haul flights, cant wait to try the new A380 with bars, restaurants, shops, netcafes, gyms, saunas, nightclubs, :drunk:

that might be because you are unusually tall...

that might be because you are unusually tall...
I dont think I am.....especially when compared to Caucasians who probably use more of the airline then we do! :D

an onbard bar like those on the first 747's upper deck is great on long haul flights, cant wait to try the new A380 with bars, restaurants, shops, netcafes, gyms, saunas, nightclubs, :drunk:

Are that surely to be built in @ A380 at all :? :?

Mostly long-haul of A340-300 & B747-400 have been installed mini-bar @ Business Class already :)

Are that surely to be built in @ A380 at all :? :?

Mostly long-haul of A340-300 & B747-400 have been installed mini-bar @ Business Class already :)

Airbus advertise the possiblity of having bars, shops and gyms, the rest is up to ones imagination, hey dont forget: THE SKY IS THE LIMIT! m))

But it all depends on seats demand, if a route is very busy then dont expect too much facilities...

they cram as much as they can it
no empty rooms space at center of planes any more
Emirates took away the center partion in the plane for 4 extra seats in the A340s
And that the Sydney Dubai and other long hauls

they cram as much as they can it
no empty rooms space at center of planes any more
Emirates took away the center partion in the plane for 4 extra seats in the A340s
And that the Sydney Dubai and other long hauls

Indeed, thats the reason the first 747's series upper deck bar was removed, to make more seats available as when the 747 was released it was indeed a very big bird, but later on it became small enought to allow airlines to have an upper deck bar, Im sure the same will happen with the A380.

Virtually of B777 design are more spacious than any other Boeing family
Can more flexiabilty in dealing with verious plan of configuration to each carrier required

I didnt quite expect Emirates to do the seat-cramming thing. Would that not have some impact on the overall quality of service?

I didnt quite expect Emirates to do the seat-cramming thing. Would that not have some impact on the overall quality of service?

If a routes gets really busy I really dont know, one carrier that for sure will add lots of facilities will definetly be Virgin as it already has some on the lower deck of their A340-600, but there they are giving away cargo space only.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/tridion/images/UpperClassSuiteBar136x205_tcm6-5262.jpghttp://www.virgin-atlantic.com/tridion/images/virgin_brand_tcm6-100.gif

Bar (http://www.upperclasssuite.com/index.php?page=16)

Virgin Atlantic is in the process of introducing double suites for passengers travelling in its Upper Class Suite. The airline has fitted four pairs of double suites onto two of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft, giving passengers travelling together 2 square metres of space to enjoy their flight closer together.

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, commented, “We are delighted that Virgin Atlantic is the first airline to offer this unique service. It has been one of my long held ambitions to have double beds onboard our aircraft and now, once again, we are leading the way in product innovation onboard our aircraft.”

The double suites are located in the centre of Zone B on the lower deck where the suites in the centre of the cabin are arranged in a herring-bone configuration. Passengers can reserve a double bed at the point of checking in for the flight, when the reservations agent informs them that these are available onboard. These suites can remain separate until the passengers wish to go to sleep, when cabin crew unclip the middle partition transferring the space into a double suite. Alternatively the partition can be removed at the beginning of the flight when the suite is in seat mode for passengers who wish to socialise during the entire flight.

The Upper Class Suite is different to anything else flying today, the product has been designed to be separately both the most comfortable bed and the most comfortable seat in the air. Instead of extending from a seat into a bed Virgin Atlantic’s seat provides the passenger with a luxury leather armchair to relax on which then flips over into a separate bed with a mattress to sleep on.

Virgin Atlantic said it plans to introduce double suites onto all of its Heathrow Boeing 747-400 fleet.

I didnt quite expect Emirates to do the seat-cramming thing. Would that not have some impact on the overall quality of service?

Hmm...thats rather surprising......Seems like packing more passenger into a plane is still more important.......

Hmm...thats rather surprising......Seems like packing more passenger into a plane is still more important.......
which is why I find that strange for Emirates. With their deep pockets, arent they more able to fly "uneconomically"....by offering plenty of space for passengers at rock bottom prices? ;)

which is why I find that strange for Emirates. With their deep pockets, arent they more able to fly "uneconomically"....by offering plenty of space for passengers at rock bottom prices? ;)

Maybe they want to "deepen" their pockets by packing more passengers instead of flying "uneconmically"??..........:lol:

My dad is stuck in Vancover Canada and may have to go back via the UK as the fastest routeor Via Japan to get home ( is is tryin to travel on a IDE90 ) and with the trouble with united airlines or some thing the routes back to sydney have huge wait lists from the USA over the pacific
so VAN-NYC-LHR-BKK-SYD
ouch

:eek:!

Why does he not consider flying over the pacific to any other Asian destination before going down to Sydney from there?

:eek:!

Why does he not consider flying over the pacific to any other Asian destination before going down to Sydney from there?

I'm puzzled too......:?

discount tickets
sister work for airlines and threre are only a few that he can get on
that what you get for flying on standby

discount tickets
sister work for airlines and threre are only a few that he can get on
that what you get for flying on standby
Ah...now that explains. :)

discount tickets
sister work for airlines and threre are only a few that he can get on
that what you get for flying on standby

Wow....so lucky......:D

Anyway....I wonder if SIA has any plans for more long-haul flights? I dont recon there are many high-traffic city pairs left for SIA to tap on...

The New Paper - 30 Oct 2004

He's one of SIA's Ultra-men

By Faith Teo
wenli@sph.com.sg

LIKE the old Ultraman character, Captain Peter A Naysadorai has to adopt a different persona when he's not working.

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-10-29/faflight-211002.jpg

When he steps out of the cockpit, he changes from his uniform to civilian clothes before kicking back with a cup of hot coffee.

Capt Naysadorai is one of the 68 pilots flying what are known as 'ultra long-haul flights' to New York (18 hours) and Los Angeles (16 hours).

He pilots the Airbus A340-500 (A345) to Los Angeles and New York.

Until February this year, no other commercial flight spent so many hours in the air or travelled a greater distance.

The longest flight before this, said the captain, was San Francisco to Hong Kong, which took 15 hours.

So how does he keep himself occupied for that long?

Well, he doesn't fly the plane for all those hours. There are two flight crews and they take turns flying the plane.

Capt Naysadorai, 45, said with a laugh: 'I remove my lapels and put on a sweater before I step out into the passenger cabin. I have to do that or else people will be wondering who's flying the plane'.

His longest haul may be five hours before he takes a break.

The first break is three hours - long enough for him to relax and read a newspaper, maybe watch a documentary.

'We rest in a business-class seat which is really comfortable.

'On the A345, even the economy seats are comfortable because they're not squashed together.'

The A345 can take more than 250 seats, but SIA chose to put in only 181, to increase the level of comfort.

The second break is five hours long - enough time to catch 40 winks in a bunk bed meant for crew members.

But he does get tired.

'Personally, coffee works well for me on board. Or I take a short walk to the bathroom, and do a bit of stretching.

'Of course, it does sometimes get a bit tiring, but the rest hours do their job.

'And it's not that bad because you're not working more than five hours each time.'

INAUGURAL FLIGHT

Capt Naysadorai was on the crew that flew SIA's inaugural SQ20 (SQ19 on the return) ultra long haul to LA in February.

The flight took about 16 hours, and held the record for the longest flight until July, when SIA launched the 18-hour SQ22 to and SQ21 from Newark, NY.

That's quite a long time in the air, until one calculates the hours pilots like Capt Naysadorai clocks each month in the A345, built especially for extended hours in the air.

Altogether he spends about 85 hours on board (effectively five one-way flights), excluding the Jakarta or KL shuttles that he flies in between.

After each ultra long haul, he gets four nights' rest in Singapore. (See other report.) He spends either two or three days in the US between flights.

While in the US, he tries to keep to Singapore time, to minimise jetlag.

SIA takes no chances. In flight, ultra long haul pilots and first officers follow a strict work time-table, which was implemented specially for them.

It was created after extensive studies were done with universities on how to ensure pilots on duty are at their most alert.

Each flight has 'basic crew' - a captain and first officer - responsible for take-off and landing, and a 'double crew' that takes over to let the basic crew rest. They exchange roles on the return journey.

'In-flight, two pilots will never take the same meal for safety reasons,' Capt Naysadorai revealed, explaining that it is a precaution against food-poisoning taken by pilots around the world.

Coming home to quality time with family

AFTER one of Captain Peter Naysadorai's long haul flights, there's nothing quite like making a soft landing on his own bed.

'It's definitely different from the usual flights I used to do, because of the preparations and recovery time from jetlag,' he said.

Capt Naysadorai told us that all ultra long haul flights arrive in Singapore around 6.30am.

'By 9.30am I'm ready for bed, and I wake up at 1.30pm for lunch. After that it's strictly Singapore time for me.

'On the first night I turn in early, and usually sleep well.'

And he doesn't stress himself out by thinking of how many lives are in his hands in the air.

'Two or 200 passengers doesn't make a difference to me, I think of it as completing a job properly.'

LONELY IN THE AIR?

But doesn't it get lonely all those hours in the air when he's resting with nothing to do? He just thinks of when he can see his family next.

'My family can contact me in-flight through SIA if it's something urgent, but the days off I spend with my wife and kids. Which is good,' he said.

Missed anniversaries, birthdays and festive occasions are celebrated then, much to the delight of his children, 8 and 6, because they get to feast twice.

'They celebrate on the actual day, and again when I come back,' he laughed.

And Capt Naysadorai himself doesn't fret when he's alone abroad at these times.

'The smiles on their faces when I come home make up for everything.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultra man??? :rofl: The ST certainly have funny ways of making news reports about such events! :D

Anyway there are 4 pilots....he cant possibly feel lonely. ;)

Ultra man??? :rofl: The ST certainly have funny ways of making news reports about such events! :D

Anyway there are 4 pilots....he cant possibly feel lonely. ;)

He won't be lonely lah...he can call his family wat...plus he can enjoy all the luxuries of a raffles class passenger while he's off duty......:eek:

He can call his family? Can use phone on SIA planes liao ah?

He can call his family? Can use phone on SIA planes liao ah?

Oops sorry.....think I read too much into this.......:lol:

'My family can contact me in-flight through SIA if it's something urgent, but the days off I spend with my wife and kids. Which is good,' he said.

Perhaps can use next time ?? ;)

Hm.....I think this is related to the recent service allowing passengers to make use of phones on the plane, although it seems to be reserved only to the most high-paying passengers. :D Then again, I suppose the Captain deserves what the best passenger is getting! ;)

Hm.....I think this is related to the recent service allowing passengers to make use of phones on the plane, although it seems to be reserved only to the most high-paying passengers. :D Then again, I suppose the Captain deserves what the best passenger is getting! ;)

I agree.....since the passenger's safety is at stake......:lol:

I suppose their pay is rather high also??

Yeah true.

Aye funny leh...when you say the passenger's safety is at stake. You think what...we need aviation cops next to catch pilots smsing while flying the plane? :D

Yeah true.

Aye funny leh...when you say the passenger's safety is at stake. You think what...we need aviation cops next to catch pilots smsing while flying the plane? :D

Aiyah I mean if the pilot can't do his job properly, then it'll pose a danger to the passengers......anyway I heard that commercial flight use auto-pilot....I'm not sure how true is that??

i think landing is auto..

i think landing is auto..
WHAT?? You nuts! I wont want to sit in a plane which is landed by computers! :lol:

Most planes cruise at auto-pilot mah....only the take-off and landings are manual...

uh i'm pretty sure landing is auto. i read that in some book.

uh i'm pretty sure landing is auto. i read that in some book.
So when the plane crashed, the computer of the plane should be blamed?

what plane crashed? i'm not sure if its available on all planes, but i read something like it was first introduced in some airbus plane, then in boeing dunnowhats maybe triple sevens.

Walao eh...since when....the landing of a plane is considered the most difficult for the pilot!

since the early 90s or late 80s i think.. precisely because its most difficult that they came up with computers to aid landing.

Then how come when planes experience problems when landing, they still blame the pilot? :D

Aiyah....where the heck that u get tt info from...

book

Which book lah....

Or maybe even websites might show up something? Afterall you said its in use for over a decade liao leh.

i dunno leh.. you check lor i'm too unconcerned. i even remember a picture of two pilots not doing anything while the plane was landing (can see out of the cockpit) with the caption saying they were chatting.

Eeeekk!!

So why dont they make the take off auto too?

i dont know? i'm not an aviation expert! maybe it is!

i dont know? i'm not an aviation expert! maybe it is!
Think pilots shall all be sacked soon then.....

Eeeekk!!

So why dont they make the take off auto too?

Got such thing one ah?? :eek:

Got such thing one ah?? :eek:
Hier seems to think there is leh. :lol:

its just what i read!!

its just what i read!!
Haha...we know we know....but I want to know WHERE you read that from what! :D

I wonder how much is it to go to the Bermudas island in US (from Singapore)??

I wonder how much is it to go to the Bermudas island in US (from Singapore)??
Muahahaa......theoratically the longest flight from Singapore to anywhere in the world? :D

Muahahaa......theoratically the longest flight from Singapore to anywhere in the world? :D

Oh yeah.......but I think there has to be somewhere longer right?? ;)

Oh yeah.......but I think there has to be somewhere longer right?? ;)
Hmm...if I remember correctly, the longest geographical position on the other side of the Earth from us is indeed somewhere in Equador or something leh. Then again, actual flight routes taken due to winds and such may skew that assumption lah. :D

Flight review from Skytrax website

SINGAPORE AIRLINES FLIGHT REVIEW
Business Class : Singapore - Los Angeles

1st November 2004 - submitted by Suhail Kazim

Check in was very smooth at Changi airport more since I had already tried the telephone check in. Within 5 minutes I was in the Silver Kris Lounge. There was nothing new to write about it and in any case, as it usually occurs in Changi, I had more to do outside the lounge and hardly spent any time there.

I proceeded to the gate and we boarded on time. The aircraft was the new airbus 340-500 series and I was happy to know that there would be no one seated next to me on this ultra long haul flight of 16 hours nonstop to Los Angeles.

The seat was one of the most comfortable ones- the new space suites. I made myself comfortable while the cabin attendants offered me a choice of juices, including a nonalcoholic cocktail. The flight took off right on time at 4pm. After a while the cabin attendants got into action with the service.

It was very disappointing to note that SIA doesn’t offer any extra perks for their premium passengers like amenity kits or in-flight pajamas which would be really appreciated for such a long flight. All that was given was a basic socks and eyeshade pack, almost similar to the ones offered in economy.

The meal service commenced and a very elaborate dinner service. Canapés and satays were offered after which an excellent starter cum salad combination of duck liver and salmon with greens and very light Japanese dressing all served in a very delightful design. Along with it were warm bread rolls and garlic bread. Extra virgin olive oil was offered to those who wanted. I tried it and it was great.

The main meal had 4 choices of either curried scallops with linguini pasta in saffron sauce or lamb chops with potatoes or an Indonesian style chicken curry with steamed rice or wok style stir fried beef with fried rice. I chose the scallops and it was one of the best meals I had ever eaten. The scallops were soft and not too spicy while the pasta was well cooked and not the usual rubbery consistency served in flight. I added some of the Kris Chili sauce to spike it up a bit more.

Dessert was a choice of crunchy chocolate ice cream or strawberry cheesecake and I shamelessly accepted the offer of the attendant to try both! It was really excellent. However I could not take the fruits or cheese offer but settled down with several cups of Chinese tea to digest the heavy meal I had taken.

I then relaxed into my seat, put it in the fully reclined position and watched a film on the large IFE screen. I dozed off and managed to get 3-4 hours of sleep. I woke up and refreshed myself in the lavatory. I was delighted to note that the toilets had windows! Something I had never seen and must admit was an experience.

I got my laptop out and attached the power cord to the inseat a/c outlet and managed to do some work. The cabin attendants regularly patrolled the cabin and approached me to know if I needed anything. There was a choice of mid-flight "snacks" like beef teriyaki pizza, noodles or crepe omelettes. I opted for the pizza and had some ice cream again along with the Chinese tea. Managed to complete some work on my laptop and then dozed off again for another 2-3 hours. Following that it was time for some more entertainment on the IFE screen and about 90 minutes before landing we were served breakfast.

It consisted of cereals, juices, smoothies, rolls and jam as well as a choice of noodles with lobster or fried rice with beef or scrambled eggs with sausages. I tried the fried rice and it was perfect from every aspect. Tea and coffee rounded up the meal and the crew prepared for arrival after showing a short video of arrival formalities in LAX.

We landed 45 minutes ahead of schedule and I was out of the airport in less than 20 minutes. I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive of taking such a long nonstop flight but it was indeed a very pleasant flight and I really did not feel the time passing slowly. Overall an excellent product of SIA.

Wah...notice this review is redominantly about food? :D Sounds so tantalising siah....it reads more like a restaurant than an airline review!

Btw....how did you navigate to the flight review section? I only managed to get to the airline review section..

Next time I'm going to BGD, I might transit through Singapore-NYC :) and then NYC-BGD on miserable Uzbekistan Airlines :(

Btw....how did you navigate to the flight review section? I only managed to get to the airline review section..

Go to the review section on the right.......then click on flight reviews.....:yes:

Oh....I kept seeing the airline review section only...haha. Anymore reviews of this flight?

I read at airliners.net that SQ is planning to return its A345s how come ?

I read at airliners.net that SQ is planning to return its A345s how come ?
Woah! The URL please?

Something tells me boeing has a hand in this again.........

I read at airliners.net that SQ is planning to return its A345s how come ?

Huh?? So how's the development now?? SIA still using A345 for the route right??

Hm...think Boeing is trying to get SIA to jump over to its own version of a very long range airliner......

Sickos. :D

Is the Melbourne-London or even the Melbourne-Amsterdam flight real?
If it is then is it non-stop or does it have a stopover somewhere.
I would appreciate someones reply :) Thanks :)

Is the Melbourne-London or even the Melbourne-Amsterdam flight real?
If it is then is it non-stop or does it have a stopover somewhere.
I would appreciate someones reply :) Thanks :)
Hmm...nope. They dont fly direct yet, as there is no airliner capable of reaching that range. ;)

Check this out....Melbourne-LA longer then Singapore-NYC? :?

Longest flights will be to Australia

The longest direct passenger flights in the world will operate to and from Australia when the A380 aircraft comes into service in 2006.

The unveiling of the first A380 in France yesterday had airlines scrambling to lay their claim to aviation history.

Singapore Airlines, which will be the first airline to take delivery of an A380, has indicated it plans to deploy the aircraft on the "Kangaroo route" between Sydney and London.

Singapore Airlines said the larger aircraft would allow it to meet increased passenger numbers on the route without the need to boost flights.

However, Qantas said the new aircraft would allow it to operate "the longest 500-passenger service in the world," between Melbourne and Los Angeles.

The airline will deploy its first four aircraft on flights between Los Angeles and Melbourne or Sydney.

"No aircraft in the history of commercial aviation has been able to carry as many passengers over such a distance on regular scheduled services," Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon said.

"The A380, with its size and technical capabilities, will change the way predominantly long haul airlines such as Qantas conduct their business."

Emirates, Thai Airways and Virgin Atlantic are also expected to use the aircraft for flights to and from Australia. - Travelpress travel news

Check this out....Melbourne-LA longer then Singapore-NYC? :?

Longest flights will be to Australia
However, Qantas said the new aircraft would allow it to operate "the longest 500-passenger service in the world," between Melbourne and Los Angeles.


No, Melbourne-LA isn't longer than Singapore-NYC.
As it says on the article, it's the longest 500-passenger service in the world".
Not the longest passanger service in the world. ;)
That title belongs to SIA on it's Singapore-NYC route.

Oh...all it needs is an eye-catching title apparantly! :D

Anyone has any opinion on the B777-200LR on SIA in the arena of super long haul flights? I dont think SIA actually needs even greater range, come to think of it?

Anyone has any opinion on the B777-200LR on SIA in the arena of super long haul flights? I dont think SIA actually needs even greater range, come to think of it?

Why not?? No other place further than Sg_NYK?? :?

how about singapore to chicago or orlando or miami? maybe singapore-boston/dallas/austin. well i suppose there's no traffic anyway. how about singapore to south america - how far is it?

how about singapore to chicago or orlando or miami? maybe singapore-boston/dallas/austin. well i suppose there's no traffic anyway. how about singapore to south america - how far is it?

Why the hell would you fly from Singapore to Austin???!!!

Singapore to Santiago or Buenos Aires would be slighty shorter than SIN-NYC I would imagine.

:lol:

Hmm....strctly by drawing a straight line, the furthest geographic location away from Singapore is in Ecuador, so South America is actually beyond the range of the A340-500. I would think this distance gets even longer when considering the real flight route which could be taken since these two-engined planes are required to keep to a certain minimum distance from land?

Singapore Air Q4 Profit Down 38%
May 11, 2005

Singapore Airlines on Wednesday posted a 38 percent drop in quarterly profit, hit by high jet fuel costs and cut-throat competition.

Fourth-quarter net profit fell to SGD$297.8 million (USD$181.4 million) from SGD$478 million (USD$291.1 million) a year earlier and SGD$476 million in the third quarter.

Full-year earnings, however, rose sharply to SGD$1.39 billion (USD$846.6 million) from SGD$849.3 million (USD$517.3 million) the previous year, when the airline was still feeling the effects of the SARS virus outbreak which battered Asia's travel industry.

Analysts have said profitability at the airline, which is 57 percent government-owned and known for its premium service even in economy class, is still exceptional in an industry dominated by ferocious competition.

Profits at Singapore Air contrast sharply with quarterly losses of hundreds of millions of dollars racked up by major US carriers US Airways, American Airlines and Continental Airlines.

The industry's main worry this year remains the unpredictable price of fuel, which has overtaken staff costs as Singapore Air's single-biggest expense.

The price of kerosene soared more than 50 percent from the start of this year to a high around USD$76 a barrel on April 10, but has since dropped back to near USD$65.

To try and offset the impact on profits, Singapore Air has increased a surcharge on long-haul flight ticket prices four times since last June, to around USD$30.

(Reuters)

:lol:

Hmm....strctly by drawing a straight line, the furthest geographic location away from Singapore is in Ecuador, so South America is actually beyond the range of the A340-500. I would think this distance gets even longer when considering the real flight route which could be taken since these two-engined planes are required to keep to a certain minimum distance from land?

So is 777-200LR able to reach that range?? :?

Why the hell would you fly from Singapore to Austin???!!!


to go to school perhaps? i know someone studying somewhere in texas.

So is 777-200LR able to reach that range?? :?
Hmm.....barely I would suppose, and probably only in very pretine conditions....winds and all that is. The plane cant even fly the London-Australia route bidirectionally! :D

If you want to know the distances:
http://gc.kls2.com/


SIA has just canceled the options it had for 5 further A345's, which means they will probably buy some 772LR's to add more long super haul routes, or, more likely, to replace the 340-500's, because the 772LR's can carry more passengers (because they would have less, or none wheight restrictions on the Singapore-New York flights) and the demand on these flights is very high.

Also, and probably the main point is that SIA has the biggest fleet of 777's in the world, so, from a fleet commodity (or whatever the word is) point of view, it really doesn't make much sense to have just 5 340's in it's fleet, when they can replace them for 777's.

Two things you mentioned which are relatively new to me:

1. Its confirmed that SIA has dropped the 5 options for the A345s? Any sources for this?

2. The direct Signapore-US flights are in good demand? Thats great to hear, coz I do sometimes wonder how they are fairing now! :D

Yes...SIA does have a huge fleet of 777s by now, and that still dosent include 20+ planes which are due for delivery. The only way Airbus can still grap SIA's attention is the A380 market, and it will have to fight very hard for the short range market SIA has been trying to scout around for, or else it will be left with just the monster planes!

Two things you mentioned which are relatively new to me:

1. Its confirmed that SIA has dropped the 5 options for the A345s? Any sources for this?

2. The direct Signapore-US flights are in good demand? Thats great to hear, coz I do sometimes wonder how they are fairing now! :D


SQ cancels A345 options, expects A380 comp May 12
Singapore Airlines, which ordered 5 Airbus A340-500s and options on a further 5 aircraft, has cancelled these options. The airline has already taken delivery of the 5 ordered aircraft. The airline also said it will seek to receive compensation from Airbus for the delay in delivery of the A380. Singapore is the first airline scheduled to take delivery of the Super Jumbo and is supposed to receive the 1st four A380s. It now looks like the aircraft will be delivered in the 4th quarter of 2006.

Source: www.airliners.net

You may also find something on SIA's website, although i'm not sure if they have made any updates yet.

As for the direct US flights being full (both LA and NYC) i can't quote any official source, but that's what i've heard in airliners.net... and there are people there who know the business, so it must be true.
They say the demand for business seats is very high on those flights, and that there would be a demand for first class seats, if there were any on the 345's, which there aren't(only business and executive economy). So, if SIA goes for the 777LR's, they would probably fit 1st class seats on them.
I've read that those flights are usualy full from Friday to Monday, and with very good load factors from Tuesday to Thursdays.


I've found the thread on airliners.net:
http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/2104710/4/

I would be surprised if that occurred. What I keep hearing is management would like F/J and "premium" Y on the ULR flights. The demand for F/J is beyond what anyone expected. The only days the flights aren't full are Tue/Wed (departing SIN). Friday-Monday, the flights are full both ways, with wait lists for J. So, there is a market, and the other direct flights have not been affected.

they are full... can hardly even book for june now.

they are full... can hardly even book for june now.

Wah demand so high ah?? :eek:

they are full... can hardly even book for june now.
You tried booking on the SIA site?

no leh my mom's travel agent. waiting list, but can lar.

no leh my mom's travel agent. waiting list, but can lar.

Never post your flight review here?? :D

oh... i'll just copy and paste later

AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2008

Rank Airline 2007

1 Singapore Airlines1
2 Cathay Pacific 3
3 Qantas 5
4 Thai Airways 2
5 Asiana Airlines 12
6 Malaysia Airlines6
7 Qatar Airways 4
8 Air New Zealand 7
9 Emirates 9
10 Etihad Airways 23

Source: http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards_2008/AirlineYear-2008.htm

SIA Q4 profit plunges 92pc
Published: 2009/05/15

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) said yesterday fourth quarter net profit dived 92 per cent on year to S$41.9 million (S$1 = RM2.42) as the global slump hit passenger and cargo demand.

Net profit tumbled by S$486 million, SIA said in a statement, as revenue fell 19.1 per cent to S$3.32 billion.

The carrier said "the decline in passenger and cargo carriage accelerated in the fourth quarter."

SIA said it lost of S$543 million from hedging on fuel contracts when jet fuel prices were higher. Fuel costs were the airline's biggest expense.

While advance bookings indicate that the drop in demand was stabilising, recovery could be set back by uncertainties due to the recent outbreak of swine flu.

"In the near term, promotional pricing and reduced business travel will keep revenue under pressure," it said in a statement.

For the full year, net profit declined 48.20 per cent to S$1.06 billion. Full-year revenue came in at nearly S$16 billion, up slightly from S$15.972 billion the year before.

SIA shares slid 52 cents to S$11.60 yesterday before the announcement was made. - AFP

AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2009
Source: http://www.worldairlineawards.com/

1 Cathay Pacific
2 Singapore Airlines
3 Asiana Airlines
4 Qatar Airways
5 Emirates
6 Qantas
7 Etihad Airways
8 Air New Zealand
9 Malaysia Airlines
10 Thai Airways

So nice to know that 8 of them have daily flights to/from CGK

Singapore Airlines: No signs of demand pickup
Published: 2009/05/16

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines said yesterday there were no signs demand would pick up in an industry reeling from fuel costs and flu worries.

It said yesterday it filled 63.7 per cent of the space available, down 3.8 percentage points from a year ago but up from 62.6 per cent in March.

It said it would not change its business model and would stick to this year’s plan to take delivery of five Airbus A380-800 superjumbos and seven A330-300s. — Reuters

Qantas Airways follows SIA with leg-room charge
Published: 2009/05/27

MELBOURNE: Qantas Airways Ltd, battling falling sales in business and first class, joined Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) in charging passengers more for the extra leg room offered in exit row seats.

Australia's biggest carrier, which is forecasting a record second-half loss, said it will charge an additional A$80 (A$1 = RM2.72) to A$160 per ticket for economy-class passengers on international routes depending on the length of the flight. The charges will start next month with frequent flyers able to use their points for the seats, Sydney-based Qantas said in an e-mailed statement yesterday.

Chief executive officer Alan Joyce is seeking to raise revenue as the airline expects a second-half loss of as much as A$188 million. The 42-year-old, who is using a strategy implemented while running Qantas's discount carrier Jetstar, risks angering customers by charging for a service they used to get for free, according to analyst Stephen Downes.

"It raises the risk customers see it as exploitative, just a revenue grab," said Downes, a lecturer in marketing at RMIT University in Melbourne. "They know it doesn't cost any more to have people sitting there."

SIA, the world's biggest by market value, last November gave customers a choice to secure seats at the exit row for a fee of US$50 per sector. The move may help Singapore Air, which gets about 40 per cent of its revenue from premium travellers, at a time when carriers globally face declining demand for air travel amid a global recession.

Japan Airlines Corp, Asia's largest carrier by sales, doesn't charge extra fees for the seats, said spokesman Taro Namba. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, Hong Kong's biggest carrier, also doesn't charge extra for legroom and has no plans to do so, Thomas Lau, a spokesman for airline, said yesterday.

Qantas' premium seat sales, such as those in first and business class, have plunged about 30 per cent as companies force executives to fly coach or stay at home, Joyce said in an April 24 interview. - Bloomberg

Singapore Airlines begins daily A330-300 service to Nagoya

Singapore Airlines commenced daily Airbus A330-300 services between Singapore and Nagoya, Japan, with effect from today. The daily services replace the Airline's five times weekly Boeing B777 operations on the route.

The inaugural A330-300 flight to Nagoya took off from Singapore's Changi Airport at 0100 hrs this morning, arriving at Central Japan International Airportat 0830hrs (all times local).

The arrival of the aircraft into Nagoya coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Airline's operation of services into the city.

Nagoya is the first Japanese city to receive Singapore Airlines' A330-300 aircraft. Osaka will be the second when the Airline replaces its daily B777 services to Osaka with A330-300 services in early 2010.

Singapore Airlines currently operates A330-300 services to and from three Australian cities, i.e. Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Said Singapore Airlines' Executive Vice-President Operations and Services, Mr Mak Swee Wah: "We are delighted to commence A330-300 services into Nagoya. We are confident that our Japanese customers will be happy with our latest product offerings, specially designed for regional and medium-haul routes. It also reaffirms our commitment to constantly enhance our product offerings to provide our customers the very best travel experience."

The Singapore Airlines A330-300 is configured in a two-class layout with 30 new Business Class seats and 255 Economy Class seats.

The Business Class cabin is laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration (distinct from the existing B777 on these routes, which is in 2-3-2 layout) and features a new Business Class seat, specially designed for regional and medium-haul routes. The seat converts to an incline lie-flat bed and offers enhanced levels of comfort, privacy and functionality.

The Economy Class cabin is laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. Featured are the new generation Singapore Airlines Economy Class seats, currently available on the Airline's B777-300ER and A380 aircraft. They are ergonomically designed to provide customers with an unsurpassed level of comfort, with more personal space and increased legroom.

All seats will feature the new KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines' award-winning inflight entertainment system, and in a world first, iPod and iPhone connectivity in every seat, including Economy Class.

Singapore Airlines currently has eight A330-300s in its fleet, with another 11 A330-300s due to be delivered between now and 2010.

The Singapore Airlines A330-300 will operate daily scheduled flights to and from Nagoya as follows:

SCHEDULED A330-300 NAGOYA SERVICES (NORTHERN SUMMER 2009)

Sector/Flight number Operating Departure Time Arrival Time

Singapore-Nagoya SQ672 Daily from 01 June 2009 0100 hours 0835 hours

Nagoya-Singapore SQ671 Daily from 01 June 2009 1100hrs* 1640hrs*

*In conjunction with celebratory activities on 1 June, SQ671 will depart at 1140hrs and arrive at 1720hrs on 1 June instead.

SIA pilots agree to take pay cut
Written by Straits Times
Saturday, 20 June 2009 15:03

SINGAPORE: Pilots at Singapore Airlines (SIA) have agreed to take no-pay leave as well as a pay cut from July 1, the latest in a string of cost-cutting measures as the global airline industry takes a battering.

The carrier also said its management staff and board of directors have agreed to a pay cut of at least 10%, which, all up, will help SIA save about S$21 million (RM51 million) in costs this financial year.

An agreement between SIA and the Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore (Alpa-S) was finally signed on Thursday after months of tough negotiations.

Under the agreement, the pilots – more than 1,800 of them – will take one day of no-pay leave each month and a cut of 65% of one day’s pay a month, pro-rated from their monthly basic salary, SIA said in a statement yesterday.

The official agreement comes more than a month after an interim deal was reached, where its pilots agreed to take one day of compulsory leave a month.

“We reached this agreement with two objectives – to help the company remain profitable and to save jobs,” said Captain P. James, Alpa-S president.

Said SIA: “The terms of the agreement with Alpa-S were determined by the surplus in pilot resources arising from the reduced flight schedules,” as the airline had cut back flights following the sharp fall in demand for air travel.

It earlier announced plans to decommission 16 aircraft and operate fewer flights by March next year.

From next month, all SIA management staff will take a pay cut of at least 10 per cent, while its chief executive Chew Choon Seng will have a pay cut of 20 per cent.

SIA was unable to say at press time how many management staff will be affected by the slash in wages.

As a rough guide, Mr Chew earned between S$3.25 million and S$3.5 million in the year ended March 31, 2008, according to the airline’s 2008 annual report. Basic salary formed 38 per cent of the total. The rest came in bonuses and benefits.

The board also volunteered a cut of 20% in director fees.

In April, senior management staff went on a shorter work month scheme, joined by ground personnel, cabin crew and administrative officers in May.

Almost 2,000 employees have also signed up for SIA’s voluntary no-pay leave scheme where staff can apply for no-pay leave of up to two years.

SIA’s latest measures mirror those of its aircraft maintenance unit SIA Engineering which announced very similar cost-cutting measures on Tuesday.

So far, the capacity cuts by SIA, including termination of services to Los Angeles (via Taipei) and Osaka (via Bangkok), among others, have not been enough to counter a slump in air travel. SIA passenger numbers last month fell by almost 24 per cent from the same period last year to about 1.2 million, outpacing an almost 14% cut in capacity.

The airline’s passenger load factor also fell to about 67%, down almost eight percentage points year-on-year.

Overall cargo traffic for May also fell by about 20.7%, slightly less than the cut in capacity of 21.4%.

Other airlines have taken similar measures amid the travel slump - expected to cause airlines worldwide to lose US$9 billion (RM31.5 billion) this year, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Hong Kong’s biggest carrier Cathay Pacific said last month that about 90 per cent of its pilots had signed up for unpaid leave.

Australia’s largest carrier Qantas Airways said in April it cut 1,750 jobs amid a drop in business and first-class travel. – The Straits Times

SIA cuts management pay 10-20%
Business Times, June 20, 2009
By NISHA RAMCHANDANI

SINGAPORE Airlines announced yesterday that its management will take a 10-20 per cent pay cut from July - the latest in a slew of cost-cutting measures - and that it has finally reached an agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association - Singapore (ALPA-S) concerning no-pay leave for its pilots.

Chief executive officer Chew Choon Seng will take a 20 per cent reduction in salary, while management staff down the ranks will progressively see lower rates to a minimum of 10 per cent. In addition, SIA's board of directors has volunteered a cut of 20 per cent in fees for directors.

Meanwhile, the agreement with ALPA-S will see all pilots taking one day no-pay leave each month and a cut of 65 per cent of one day's pay pro-rated from monthly basic salary. As at March 31, 2009, SIA had 2,369 pilots.

'It's our contribution to help SIA stay profitable and to help save jobs,' P James, president of ALPA-S, told BT.

This latest agreement between SIA and the pilots supersedes an interim deal brokered by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which saw the pilots taking one day compulsory unpaid leave per month from May 2009.

The pilots union and SIA had previously reached a stalemate over a proposed shorter work month for pilots where captains were asked to take three days of no-pay leave per month and first officers four days, after which MOM was asked to step in to mediate.

With SIA cutting capacity this financial year in response to flagging travel demand, pilots already see a deduction in their pay packet from lower flying hours alone since their monthly salary constitutes a basic salary as well as a flying allowance which is calculated based on the number of hours flown.

At the time, ALPA-S had also put forth the case that unlike pilots, managers, ground staff and cabin crew are being asked to take only one-day leave a month, with managers and ground staff having the choice of taking the one day either as annual leave or unpaid leave.

'The agreement augments a series of measures taken by SIA to mitigate the burden of cost of excess staff resources resulting from the global business downturn,' SIA said yesterday.

SIA's senior management staff went on a shorter work month scheme starting April this year while other managers followed suit in May. Under agreements signed with the two other unions - Singapore Airlines Staff Union (Siasu) and the Air-Transport Executive Staff Union (Aesu) - all ground personnel, cabin crew and administrative officers joined the shorter work month scheme in May.

In addition, close to 2,000 employees have signed up for the airline's voluntary no-pay leave scheme to date, under which staff can apply for leave without pay for a period of up to two years.

Collectively, all these measures will save the airline an estimated $21 million in costs for the current financial year, SIA said.

The airline is grounding 16 aircraft, operating fewer flights and slashing capacity by 11 per cent for this financial year ending March 2010.

And with the aviation industry flying through some stormy weather against the backdrop of an economic downturn, SIA is not the only airline implementing cost-cutting measures.

Earlier this week, it was reported that British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh and CFO Keith Williams have promised to work for no pay next month.

Perhaps it is time for SIA to think about cutting its ticket price too...