Eighteen hours and 45 minutes on a plane. Sounds like hell, eh? But maybe not so much if you’re flying in premium economy or business class — which is what Singapore Airlines will be offering on the new world’s longest flight, from Singapore to New York, starting on October 11.
The flight will cover the 16,700-kilometre route in one hop from Changi to Newark thanks to the capabilities of the new Airbus A350-900 ULR (“ultra long range”) aircraft.
We all like a little luxury — and I’ve become quite addicted to business class (thanks, mainly, to clever use of frequent-flyer points and a previous well-paying job) — so my first thought was, I’ll have a bit of that.
But then a terrible thing occurred to me: if everybody is flying “premium”, then what’s so special about it?
Will the check-in queues be longer and the welcome onboard less warm?
Will premium-economy travellers be treated like second-class citizens because they will be the ones at the back of the plane, albeit in more comfortable seats?
Will passengers get the same standard of service and attention from the cabin crew as they would in premium economy on a flight where there are also economy-class passengers? Will the business lounge be overcrowded?
Yes, I know that this could be the ultimate first-world problem.
But the fact is that for many people travelling in the premium cabins, it isn’t just about better onboard service, less fuss coming and going at the airport or a glass of bubbly in the lounge and onboard before take-off. It is about feeling just a little bit superior.
The fact is that many of us have grown selfish. We’re told constantly that greed is good, because to be rich is to be glorious.
For many passengers, flying in a premium-class cabin is a sign that you’ve made it. And how can you feel that you’ve made it when everybody else around you has made it too?
It’s also about having access to more toilets, which many premium cabins don’t offer.