It is no secret that Singapore Airlines is a market leader in cabin product innovation. Singapore’s national flag carrier has always had a fond place in my heart, and it would appear that following the announcement of their new route, the airline is trying to showcase their premium cabins in the best possible light by doing away completely with their Economy Class (which is still a market leader in its field).
Singapore Airlines stated that the upcoming route, whose tickets are released soon, will have only Premium Economy and Business Class.
The proposed route, Singapore to Newark, will serve the highly lucrative business travel market. But somewhat most interesting is the sheer distance of the flight. Operated by the Airbus A350-900 ULR (Ultra Long Range), the route will break the record for the longest commercial flight in the world.
The 16,700km, 18.5 hour flight will smash its competitor, Qatar Airways’ Doha/Auckland route out of the park. The second-place route clocks in a whopping 2000km below Singapore Airlines’ new flightplan.
The proposed new route might remind many of you of Singapore Airlines’ previous direct New York flight using the A340. This flight also left out their Economy Class for an all-business connfiguration, but ultimately failed due to rising fuel prices and the inefficiency of the gas-guzzling four-engined plane that has since stopped being manufactured. Singapore Airlines hopes that the ultra modern A350 will be the answer to the route’s profitability.
Final Thought
Configurations without Economy don’t have a good track record. Currently, only two routes exist in the entire of commercial aviation: BA’s A318 (London City/JFK) and the all-Business airline La Compagnie (Orly/Newark). Hopefully, the answer to success is in the new technology that the A350 brings. 53% composite material by weight, it boasts unrivalled fuel consumption.
Singapore Airlines launches the flight in October this year.
How do you think the route will perform?
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