Uneconomical: SIA stops world’s longest flight
The cancellation of the service was first announced a year ago.
SINGAPORE:
The world’s longest nonstop commercial flight ended without fanfare on Monday after Singapore Airlines (SIA) flew its last nearly 19-hour service from New York. Flight SQ 21 landed early Monday in Changi Airport, bringing an end to a nine-year run. A direct service to Los Angeles has also been cancelled as part of a fleet renewal. Analysts said the rise in fuel prices since 2004, when the 15,335-kilometre (9,529-mile) service was launched to cater to business travellers, made it economically unsustainable. The cancellation of the service was first announced a year ago. Five Airbus A340-500s used by SIA for the service to New York – through neighbouring Newark – are being swapped for Airbus A380 superjumbos, a larger but more fuel-efficient model that is not designed for such distances.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2013.
The world’s longest nonstop commercial flight ended without fanfare on Monday after Singapore Airlines (SIA) flew its last nearly 19-hour service from New York. Flight SQ 21 landed early Monday in Changi Airport, bringing an end to a nine-year run. A direct service to Los Angeles has also been cancelled as part of a fleet renewal. Analysts said the rise in fuel prices since 2004, when the 15,335-kilometre (9,529-mile) service was launched to cater to business travellers, made it economically unsustainable. The cancellation of the service was first announced a year ago. Five Airbus A340-500s used by SIA for the service to New York – through neighbouring Newark – are being swapped for Airbus A380 superjumbos, a larger but more fuel-efficient model that is not designed for such distances.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2013.