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#1
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
See http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/031015/airli...irlines_1.html
or read below: Singapore Air to launch direct U.S. service in Feb. Wednesday October 15, 3:03 am ET By Julie MacIntosh NEW YORK, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines (SES:SIAL.SI - News) will launch the world's longest nonstop commercial flight on February 3, a voyage between Singapore and Los Angeles that will take more than 18 hours, executives of the airline said. The Singapore-based air carrier will follow up six months later by launching nonstop service between Singapore and New York, which will be routed over the North Pole and require two full sets of cabin crew. The airline plans to introduce the service officially at a press conference in Singapore on Wednesday. Travelers willing to pay an extra five or 10 percent on top of the cost of a one-stop ticket will save hours by avoiding stopovers in Tokyo or Taipei, if they can stomach spending 18 hours on an airplane. "We acknowledge that the flight is long, therefore we have to focus a lot of our attention on the comforts and space in the aircraft," said Michael Tan, a senior executive vice president at the airline, in a telephone interview with reporters last week. "It's going to be a very comfortable flight." Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL - News) currently runs the world's longest nonstop commercial flight between Newark, N.J., and Hong Kong, which clocks in at just under 16 hours. Singapore Airlines, Asia's biggest airline by market value, will use 5 new Airbus A340-500 aircraft to fly the once-a-day routes because the trip is too long for its other aircraft to handle. The new airplanes will be delivered in Mid-December. COSTLY ENTERPRISE To keep cabin fever at bay, Singapore Airlines has configured the new aircraft with 181 seats, about 18 to 20 percent fewer seats than usual. Business-class seats, which can fully recline into beds, will have 64 inches of leg room and 10-inch video monitors. "Executive economy" seats will have 37 inches of leg room, 9-inch monitors, and will be set up seven abreast instead of the usual eight to keep travelers from bumping shoulders. Passengers can socialize in designated sections of the aircraft, grab their own snacks and drinks, or play CDs, games, and movies on the entertainment system built into their seats. But all that pampering poses a significant challenge to Singapore Airlines -- making direct flights to the U.S. profitable. "There's no denying that this operation is an expensive operation, and we will have a breakeven that is higher than on other flights," Tan said. "I think the most difficult challenge will be how to make the flight financially successful, because it's a long flight and there are payload limitations." BUSINESS FIRST Tan felt direct flights would be well-received by the business passengers who account for the bulk of traffic on the routes because they will be able to save time. Most passengers have said they would rather fly nonstop between Singapore and the United States than take a break along the way, the airline said. The airline debated whether to have first-class service on the new routes, but decided against it due to aircraft limitations and the stagnating -- and in some cases, declining -- market for first-class seats, Tan said. The United States and Singapore have an "open skies" agreement that gives them more liberal access to each others' routes. Direct routes into the United States will let Singapore Airlines take advantage of that agreement, Tan said. "I think that operating nonstop is the best way to develop the market between Singapore and the United States, because of the open skies agreement between the two countries," Tan said. Singapore Airlines has no set plans to increase its service into New York or Los Angeles, or to fly to other U.S. cities, but Tan said Chicago and San Francisco looked attractive. "In the future we'll look at increasing the flights where the market demands," Tan said. |
#2
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
Anyone know if the Emirates services due to start next year will beat this
record? They are due to start Dubai - New York & Dubai - San Francisco with A340-500's non stop? Cheers |
#3
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
Will Barstow wrote:
Anyone know if the Emirates services due to start next year will beat this record? They are due to start Dubai - New York & Dubai - San Francisco with A340-500's non stop? Dubai-NYC is about a 12-hour flight as I recall, so Dubai-SF would be 17, still shy of 18. Very very rough numbers. miguel -- Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu |
#4
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
Will Barstow wrote:
Anyone know if the Emirates services due to start next year will beat this record? They are due to start Dubai - New York & Dubai - San Francisco with A340-500's non stop? Here are the great circle distances for comparison, including the two current longest flights: EWR - HKG 8065 miles JNB - ATL 8439 DXB - SFO 8103 DXB - JFK 6849 SIN - LAX 8770 SIN - JFK 9537 Hypothetically, if someone wanted to introduce a non-stop service from Sydney to London or New York, the distances would be: SYD - LHR 10573 miles SYD - JFK 9950 |
#5
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
In article ,
"Will Barstow" wrote: Anyone know if the Emirates services due to start next year will beat this record? They are due to start Dubai - New York & Dubai - San Francisco with A340-500's non stop? DXB-EWR non-stop has been done for a few years by 772. MH flies that. |
#6
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
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#7
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
"Boxall's Accommodation" wrote in message om... See http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/031015/airli...irlines_1.html or read below: Singapore Air to launch direct U.S. service in Feb. Wednesday October 15, 3:03 am ET By Julie MacIntosh NEW YORK, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines (SES:SIAL.SI - News) will launch the world's longest nonstop commercial flight on February 3, a voyage between Singapore and Los Angeles that will take more than 18 hours, executives of the airline said. The Singapore-based air carrier will follow up six months later by launching nonstop service between Singapore and New York, which will be routed over the North Pole and require two full sets of cabin crew. Actually, the flight would stay well south of the North Pole. Flight Simulator has a flight planner, which can route based on the actual air lines. To get from JFK to SIN, it plots a route northwest over Canada and Alaska, then turning southwest and coming close to Japan and Taiwan, as it heads towards Singapore. |
#8
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
Malaysia does EWR-DXB nonstop. Dubai is a stop on the way to Malaysia "Will Barstow" wrote in message ... Anyone know if the Emirates services due to start next year will beat this record? They are due to start Dubai - New York & Dubai - San Francisco with A340-500's non stop? Cheers |
#9
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
Actually more than that. The air lanes between DXB and JFK go around Iraq. The air lanes first fly over Iran, almost to Pakistan, and then turn nortwest, over the pole, to JFK. This routing takes about 15 hours. "Miguel Cruz" wrote in message ... Will Barstow wrote: Anyone know if the Emirates services due to start next year will beat this record? They are due to start Dubai - New York & Dubai - San Francisco with A340-500's non stop? Dubai-NYC is about a 12-hour flight as I recall, so Dubai-SF would be 17, still shy of 18. Very very rough numbers. miguel -- Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu |
#10
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SQ to do SIN-LAX and SIN-NYC nonstop!
" The Singapore-based air carrier will follow up six months later by launching nonstop service between Singapore and New York, which will be routed over the North Pole and require two full sets of cabin crew. Actually, the flight would stay well south of the North Pole. Flight Simulator has a flight planner, which can route based on the actual air lines. To get from JFK to SIN, it plots a route northwest over Canada and Alaska, then turning southwest and coming close to Japan and Taiwan, as it heads towards Singapore. Looking at http://gc.kls2.com , the great circle seems pretty close to the North Pole to me. |
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