Are ultra longhaul flights viable?

They have plenty of appeal, but can airlines afford to keep them going amid rising fuel costs?

ALEX MCWHIRTER CONSUMER CHAMPION AND RAIL EXPERT

What's the definition of an ultra long-haul (ULH) flight? It can best be described as a nonstop flight taking over 16 hours. It was two Southeast Asian carriers, namely Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines (SIA), which started the ball rolling back in 2004. Both of their nations suffer a geographic disadvantage compared to the likes of Hong Kong because Bangkok and Singapore lie that much farther from North America. Thai Airways and SIA were finally able to launch their first nonstop flights to the US thanks to Airbus and its A340-500. This four-engine aircraft was able to fly farther than any other at that time. It meant both Thai and SIA could launch nonstops to Los Angeles and New York, the latter taking up to 19 hours. Airbus must have hoped global A340500…

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Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition (Digital) - 1 Issue, April - June 2023

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