Heading out soon.
It is almost that time to board a Singapore Airlines Airbus A340-500 and be a part of the world’s longest flight. Okay, well I still have a few hours left. Before then, I will be checking out of my hotel, getting a short tour of the airport, probably relax in the lounge for a minute or two and then find my seat for the next 18 hours or so. I will be departing on SQ 22, which leaves about 10:55am local time [which is 7:55pm 10/13 in Seattle or 2:55am 10/30 GMT].
You can follow along the flight on FlightAware and hopefully on this blog. Here is the catch though; due to the flight plan there is a good chance that I won’t be able to access the internet the whole time and when I do, it could be slow. Have no fear though, if I cannot connect up, I will write the story as a live blog on my local laptop and be sure to update when I have a chance. Worst case, that means after I get settled into my hotel after arriving at Newark (aka worst case scenario).
Since I will be crossing about half the existing time zones (and the international date line), I plan to update based on time spent on the aircraft. Once I enter the cabin, I will start a timer and update the post based on the elapsed time. I am hoping to stay awake the whole time, but know that I might need a little nap. Also realize that on a flight this long, there might not be too much happening between, “oh starting this movie,” and “done with the movie,” so my silence might not mean I cannot connect to the internet, but because I am doing something boring. Well, nothing is boring while on this flight, but I don’t want to give away plot lines of a movie.
With live blogging and possibly having a Singapore Sling or two, I realize that the grammar might not be 100%. No worries, it will all be worked out as the flight progresses or afterwards, so try to have a little more flexibility for the short-term and we shall do just fine. Well, I think that just about lays the ground work for how this shin-dig will work out. Hopefully you will be hearing from me soon and if not, know that I am enjoying the flight and looking forward to sharing soon.
Time to burn some miles on a Singapore Airlines A340-500 – Image: Bob Connolly
While I like to think I haven’t totally become an old man, most of the time my weekends these days involve chores and relaxing. But this week, when I get the usual “What are you doing this weekend?” question, I get interesting replies when I tell them I am about to fly about 50 hours and over 21,000 miles.
I am honored to have the opportunity to fly on the world’s two longest flights, which are both operated by Singapore Airlines and use the Airbus A340-500. After I take my less exciting flight from Seattle to LAX, I will board the world’s second-longest flight from LAX to Singapore (SIN). This flight (SQ 37) can be just over 18hrs and is 8,770 miles long.
I will be hanging out in Singapore for just about a day before boarding the Airbus A340-500 again to take the world’s longest flight, which is from SIN to Newark (EWR). It is about 9,500 miles and can be about 19 hours. For an average person this might not sound too exciting, but for me, I think this is going to be a great weekend and I want to share it in a unique way.
Singapore’s new Business Class will be tough to beat.
I have been lucky enough to fly quite a few different Business Class products on a variety of airlines over the years. Often, those airlines will directly ask me what I thought about their product and question which was my favorite. Each and every time, I find a few nice things to say about their product, but ultimately then have to admit that Singapore Airlines’ Business Class product on the Airbus A380 has been my favorite. None of the airlines have been insulted – at least I don’t think – because Singapore really does have a top-notch product.
When I learned that Singapore was updating their already impressive product, I was intrigued. Recently I was invited, along with Bernie Leighton (a Managing Correspondent for the site, who also holds elite status on all the airline alliances) to check out their first Boeing 777-300ER to feature Singapore’s new interior. Our tour took place at the Boeing Everett Delivery Center just hours before the plane was delivered to Singapore Airlines and took off, and I wanted to share both of our thoughts.
We also want to be able to share a bit more than thoughts and photos. You have the chance to WIN A SINGAPORE AIRLINES BOEING 777-300ER MODEL. Keep on reading to find out how…
This new Business Class product will soon be soon on Singapore Airlines. Image from Singapore.
Singapore Airlines history can be traced back to May of 1947 and since then, they have been an airline that represents leadership and many firsts. They were the first airline to launch satellite-based inflight telephones & the first to take delivery of the Airbus A380 — just to name a few.
Sixty-Six years later, Singapore Airlines (SQ) is proud to introduce their Next Generation of First, Business and Economy Cabin Products. They currently operate a fleet of 102 aircraft which have an average age of less than 7 years — one of the youngest and most fuel efficient fleets in the industry, but that doesn’t mean they can’t keep innovating.
This September, the new cabin products will be launched on select flights on the airline’s Singapore (SIN) to London (LHR) itinerary. The new seats and in-flight entertainment (IFE) will be rolled out to other routes as additional new aircraft enter service. Let’s take a closer look at what the new product will look like.
What is an AvGeek? Well, since you are reading this, the chances are high that you might be an AvGeek. Is that a good or bad thing? Oh, have no worry, it is a very good thing and you are among great company.
It is hard to really know when or where the #AvGeek idea came from. It took off (pun intended) via social media and derives from “Aviation Geek.” Some folks might take offense to being called a “geek” but in this case, it is a way for people who are fans of aviation to easily identify themselves.
You do not need to be a pilot, you do not need to work in the aviation business, heck you could even be afraid to fly and still be an AvGeek. An AvGeek is someone who is passionate about aviation and that passion can be shown in countless ways.
