SIA ferry shows off long-haul capabilities

Singapore Airlines’ first Airbus A350-900ULR demonstrated its long-haul capabilities during an unusual delivery flight during which the aircraft routed over the Arctic. The aircraft departed Toulouse for Singapore on 22 September. But rather than following the great circle route – around 5,900nm overflying Italy, the Black Sea, Caspian Sea and India – the aircraft took a flightpath north to Norway and Spitsbergen. It crossed the Arctic Circle and eventually turned south into Russian airspace, landing at Singapore at around 16:40 local time. The duration of the flight, close to 16h 30min, was about one-third longer than the typical 12h for an A350-900 ferry on the same route. Singapore Airlines is planning to put the aircraft into service on a 9,000nm nonstop link to New York’s Newark airport on 11 October, a flight time of some 18h 45min, before opening a nonstop Los Angeles service in November.<br/>