World's longest flight lasts nearly 19 hours and has no economy cabin
The longest ultra-long-haul flight in the world lasts nearly 19 hours and there is no economy cabin on board the aircraft, which is packed with a premium economy and business class
Did you know that there are flights that go beyond the typical long-haul duration of six to sixteen hours? These are known as super long-haul flights, and one such journey holds the record for being the longest in the world, keeping passengers airborne for nearly 19 hours.
The current title holder for the longest ultra-long-haul flight is the route between New York City's JFK Airport and Singapore Changi Airport. Passengers embark on a Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 for this epic journey, covering an estimated distance of 9,537 miles over a scheduled time of a whopping 18 hours and 50 minutes.
Interestingly, the return trip from Singapore to New York shaves off a mere ten minutes, clocking in at 18 hours and 40 minutes, reports the Express. Despite the extended flight time, the aircraft actually accommodates fewer passengers.
This strategy aims to boost profits while also providing travellers with a bit more room. In fact, the plane doesn't offer an economy class. Instead, it primarily features a business class.
Towards the back of the plane, there's a Premium Economy cabin, which offers more space and amenities than a standard economy cabin.
Passengers can look forward to extra legroom, a footrest, an adjustable headrest, noise-cancelling headphones, and WiFi throughout the flight.
For those flying business class, they can enjoy a 1-2-1 seating layout for maximum privacy. Plus, the seats convert into fully flat beds, ensuring travellers can get plenty of rest during their journey.
For those who fancy travelling in style, Singapore Airlines' business class patrons can indulge in their primary dish selection up to a whopping 24 hours before take-off, spoiling them with restaurant-calibre meals like succulent slow-roasted beef fillet, delectable grilled shrimp and scallops, plus a flavourful prawn-pork dumpling noodle soup.
Seasoned travel blogger GMO on the GO took to YouTube Shorts to share his own insights of the fancy flying experience.
Perched comfortably in Premium Economy for his voyage, he remarked: "There is a pretty solid entertainment menu".
Moreover, the jet-setting expert couldn't help but sing praises about the service onboard Singapore Airlines, declaring it as "always wonderful", while lauding the crew's exemplary efforts in ensuring guests' supreme comfort during the lengthy 18-and-a-half-hour sojourn.
While the ticket prices for this grand air journey aren't always wallet-friendly, occasionally soaring into the five-figure range depending on when you fly and which cabin class you clinch, the payoff is a seamless, layover-free trip granting more time to enjoy your far-flung location.
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