Featured Map for 31 October 2012:
Singapore A340-500s To Turn Into Pumpkins

Last week, Singapore Airlines announced a US$7.5-billion order for more A380s and A350s. The press release also noted that Airbus would buy back the airline's fleet of five A340-500 aircraft, which will be withdrawn from service in the fourth quarter of 2013. These aircraft are used to operate daily, non-stop service between Singapore to New York (Newark) (see Featured Maps: Singapore Airlines Eastbound To/From Newark (21 January 2012)) and 5x weekly non-stops between Singapore and Los Angeles, the longest commerical airline flights at 8,285 nm and 7,621 nm, respectively.

After these flights are dropped, the longest flight will be flown by Qantas: QF 7 from Sydney to Dallas/Fort Worth, a distance of 7,454 nm operated with a Boeing 747-400ER. The return flight has a planned technical stop in Brisbane, though, so this is a one-way record. (See Featured Maps: Qantas Does Dallas (14 January 2011)).

The longest non-stop flown in both directions at 7,333 nm is operated by Delta Air Lines from Atlanta to Johannesburg (DL 200) and return (DL 201). These flights use a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner.

SIN-EWR flights since 28 October 2012 have been cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. Today's Featured Map shows the approximate path of the last SIN-EWR flight in blue, and the previous day's return in orange. The LAX flights for 28 October 2012 are also shown, again in blue from Singapore and orange for the return. For comparison, the great circle (geodesic) routings for these flights are shown (purple), along with QF 7 SYD-DFW (red) and DL 200/201 ATL-JNB-ATL.

References and additional information:

• Singapore Airlines
• SIA To Place US$7.5B Order For More A380s and A350s – 28 October 2012
• Airbus A340-500
• Qantas
• Delta Air Lines
• FlightAware
• FlightAware – Singapore Airlines (SQ) 22 – 28-Oct-2012 – WSSS-KEWR
• FlightAware – Singapore Airlines (SQ) 21 – 27-Oct-2012 – KEWR-WSSS
• FlightAware – Singapore Airlines (SQ) 38 – 28-Oct-2012 – WSSS-KLAX
• FlightAware – Singapore Airlines (SQ) 37 – 28-Oct-2012 – KLAX-WSSS
• Featured Maps: Singapore Airlines Eastbound To/From Newark (21 January 2012)
• Featured Maps: Qantas Does Dallas (14 January 2011)