(Reuters)
If you want to fly the world's longest nonstop flight, it looks like you're going to have to switch carriers.
Singapore Airlines announced that it plans to drop its nonstop flights that operate between Singapore and both Newark and Los Angeles (8,300 and 7,600 nautical miles respectively) which have been flying since 2004, bringing an end to the world’s longest scheduled nonstop route.
In its place appear to be Qantas' nonstop from Sydney to Dallas/Fort Worth (about 7,400 nautical miles) and Delta's route from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa (about 7,300 nautical miles), USA Today reports.
The change in flights come as Singapore Airlines plans to order five Airbus A380 aircraft and 20 more A350 planes, Reuters reports. The airline hopes to tap into the growing premium full-service travel market. International Air Transport Association (IATA) said last week that the number of passengers flying on first and business class rose 8.5 percent in August from a year ago.