- Singapore Airlines recently relaunched the longest flight in the world, between Newark Liberty International Airport and Changi Airport.
- The trip between New York and Singapore covers 10,000 miles and can take up to 19 hours.
- Business Insider took the inaugural flight to Singapore in business class.
- Then we made the flight back in premium economy.
In October, Singapore Airlines reintroduced its nonstop flight connecting New York and the airline's homeland in Singapore. At 10,000 miles, with a duration of up to 19 hours, it is the longest flight in the world. And it is likely to retain that title until Qantas launches its long-awaited nonstop London-to-Sydney route that could last as long as 20 hours. (But neither Airbus nor Boeing has an aircraft that could do that flight economically, so don't hold your breath.)
Singapore Airlines hadn't operated a nonstop service between the Lion City and the Big Apple since 2013, when it shelved the flights because of high fuel prices. At the time, Singapore used Airbus A340-500s on the route.
While it has exceptional range and capability, the A340-500 was a relic of the 1990s, and the thirst of its four engines proved too uneconomical to sustain. Even a shift to an all-business-class layout couldn't generate enough income to save the route. So in 2013, the airline canceled the service and returned the A340-500 fleet to Airbus.
Fast-forward five years, and things are quite different. Singapore is the proud owner of a fleet of seven new Airbus A350-900ULR airliners — ULR stands for ultra-long-range — representing the latest in commercial aviation.
The carbon-composite A350's pair of massive Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan engines team up with the plane's sleek wing design to deliver a 25% reduction in fuel consumption over the aircraft it replaced, the company says. In ULR specs, Airbus managed to fit an extra 6,300 gallons of fuel into the A350's tanks, pushing the range up to more than 11,000 miles.
Business Insider recently had the chance to fly in business class on the inaugural Flight SQ21 from Newark Liberty International Airport, just outside New York City, to Singapore's Changi Airport.
After a week in Asia, it was time to go home on Flight SQ22. Here's how I spent the 10,000-mile flight in premium economy.
SEE ALSO: Check out the secret compartment where flight attendants sleep on the longest flight in the world
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On October 12, Singapore Airlines relaunched Flight SQ21, its nonstop flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Changi Airport in Singapore.
The 10,000-mile flight lasted about 18 hours. It was daunting, but the comforts of business class made it a lot easier.
After a week in Singapore, it was time to return to New York on Flight SQ22.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider