It’s the world’s longest flight, but it’s not: why Singapore Airlines is splitting hairs over its new service to New York
Singapore Airlines announced the latest addition to its route network last week: non-stop flights between Singapore and New York, which will begin next month. The first flight bound for the Big Apple will depart from Singapore on November 9, marking the official return of the city state's flag carrier to New York for the first time since March 22, when services were suspended. The airline ceased services to all US cities except Los Angeles from April, as restrictions on travel were imposed to help stop the spread of Covid-19. It will also mark the first non-stop flight between Singapore and New York City, as the airline's other non-stop route to the region uses Newark Liberty International Airport, in nearby New Jersey. The 8,287-nautical-mile length of the new route technically earns it the title of “world's longest flight” by distance, but that's now how the airline sees it. A Singapore Airlines spokesman says that SQ21/22, the non-stop flights between Singapore and Newark, will still hold the title in the airline's book despite being shorter than the New York route by two nautical miles. Singapore Airlines is holding firm that the launch of New York flights isn't a resumption of the Singapore-Newark flights – which will return as demand and restrictions dictate – nor will they replace the New York-Frankfurt-Singapore route, which was also suspended earlier this year. These flights are entirely new and have their own flight numbers, SQ23 and SQ24. Non-stop flights between Singapore and Newark had initially launched in 2004, using four-engine Airbus A340-500 aircraft. Now, even with the resumption of flights to the New York area and a longer route, the airline isn't breaking out the confetti to celebrate a new world's longest flight. A Singapore Airlines spokesman says that the official reason for that is because the airline measures a flight's length by block time, or the duration for which flight is scheduled, and not by distance. The Newark to Singapore flight is scheduled for 18 hours and 45 minutes, five minutes longer than the planned New York to Singapore flights. Despite aircraft having to fly a longer route by mileage, the return flight from New York is only scheduled at 18 hours and 40 minutes.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2020-10-27/star/it2019s-the-world2019s-longest-flight-but-it2019s-not-why-singapore-airlines-is-splitting-hairs-over-its-new-service-to-new-york
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It’s the world’s longest flight, but it’s not: why Singapore Airlines is splitting hairs over its new service to New York
Singapore Airlines announced the latest addition to its route network last week: non-stop flights between Singapore and New York, which will begin next month. The first flight bound for the Big Apple will depart from Singapore on November 9, marking the official return of the city state's flag carrier to New York for the first time since March 22, when services were suspended. The airline ceased services to all US cities except Los Angeles from April, as restrictions on travel were imposed to help stop the spread of Covid-19. It will also mark the first non-stop flight between Singapore and New York City, as the airline's other non-stop route to the region uses Newark Liberty International Airport, in nearby New Jersey. The 8,287-nautical-mile length of the new route technically earns it the title of “world's longest flight” by distance, but that's now how the airline sees it. A Singapore Airlines spokesman says that SQ21/22, the non-stop flights between Singapore and Newark, will still hold the title in the airline's book despite being shorter than the New York route by two nautical miles. Singapore Airlines is holding firm that the launch of New York flights isn't a resumption of the Singapore-Newark flights – which will return as demand and restrictions dictate – nor will they replace the New York-Frankfurt-Singapore route, which was also suspended earlier this year. These flights are entirely new and have their own flight numbers, SQ23 and SQ24. Non-stop flights between Singapore and Newark had initially launched in 2004, using four-engine Airbus A340-500 aircraft. Now, even with the resumption of flights to the New York area and a longer route, the airline isn't breaking out the confetti to celebrate a new world's longest flight. A Singapore Airlines spokesman says that the official reason for that is because the airline measures a flight's length by block time, or the duration for which flight is scheduled, and not by distance. The Newark to Singapore flight is scheduled for 18 hours and 45 minutes, five minutes longer than the planned New York to Singapore flights. Despite aircraft having to fly a longer route by mileage, the return flight from New York is only scheduled at 18 hours and 40 minutes.<br/>
