ANA is configuring the cabins of its Airbus A380s with four classes and some all-new features that include a changing room, bar counters in all cabins and couch options in economy. The three A380s will be used on Tokyo-Honolulu services from spring 2019. Those flights are about seven hours long. A special livery has been developed for the A380s using themes inspired by Hawaiian sunsets and oceans. Inside the aircraft, ANA revealed April 25, will be features specifically aimed at Japanese families, couples and newlyweds, for whom Hawaii is a popular destination for vacations and honeymoons. While the ANA A380’s 520-passenger configuration makes it a high-density, tourist-market product, there will be multiple offerings from first-class private seats with their own doors to an all-economy main deck with couch options at the rear. Each upper deck will have eight first-class, 56 business-class and 73 premium-economy seats. While other ANA business-class seats are staggered, the A380 configuration will be set in pairs to appeal to couples on vacation. There is also a far higher number of 38-inch premium economy seats compared to the average of 20 on ANA’s other aircraft.<br/>
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Singapore to New York, nonstop. Almost 20 hours in the air. By the end of this year, passengers on Singapore Airlines' newest plane, the Airbus A350-900ULR -- for Ultra Long-Range -- will travel on a record-breaking, globe-spanning flight that will reconnect the two major metropolises. The airline used to fly the gas-guzzling, four-engine A340-500 on the 9,500-mile route, with just 100 business-class seats on board. The service proved to be inefficient, and Singapore Airlines cancelled the flights in 2013. The airline is now taking delivery of Airbus' newest wide-body, the A350-900. It has 21 planes in its fleet, of an order for 67 aircraft. Singapore Airlines has ordered seven of the ULRs. On April 23, the plane had its first test flight, an almost five-hour round-trip that launched from the airframer's assembly plant in Toulouse, France. The ULR will be able to fly a remarkable 11,160 miles, an increase of more than 1,800 miles over the standard A350. It means that Singapore Airlines will reclaim the crown of running the world's longest non-stop air route. But how will passengers comfortably fly -- or perhaps endure -- a flight that lasts the better part of a full day? Story has details.<br/>
LOT Polish Airlines will take three additional Boeing 787-9s on 12-year operational lease agreements with Irish lessor Avolon beginning next year, the said Tuesday. Two will be delivered in May 2019, the third in October 2019. By that point, LOT’s fleet of 787s will total 15 aircraft. LOT’s present fleet of Dreamliners includes eight leased-in 787-8s and one 787-9. The -9, which was delivered to LOT in March, is the first of three 787-9s LOT will operate on long-term lease with US lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG). The remaining two -9s from ACG are scheduled for delivery to LOT this month (April) and February 2019. The fourth -9 previously ordered is on long-term lease with US lessor Air Lease Corporation and is set for delivery during Q2 2018, according to ALC. LOT’s first 787-9 operates regular flights to Chicago and Toronto while the next -9, due this month, will fly between Warsaw and New York-JFK, as well as some flights to Seoul, South Korea. The airline said it is in talks to purchase another three wide- and narrow-body aircraft, and is waiting on delivery for four out of six 737 MAX 8s LOT has on order through ALC, and five out of six Embraer E195s. Additionally, two Bombardier Q400 turboprops are expected to be added to LOT’s fleet “for at least six months,” the airliner said.<br/>