The airline has since amended their existing order to airbus for 67 A350-900, of which seven will be of the ULR variety. Optimised for long-haul flights of up to 19 hours, the ULR aircraft also features a modified fuel system for increased fuel carrying capacity, a larger maximum take-off weight, and aerodynamic improvements. These would allow the airline for non-stop flights from Singapore to New York, which will be the world’s longest commercial passenger route with an expected flight time of up to 19 hours.

“Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,” commented Goh Choon Phong, SIA chief executive officer (CEO).

Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President & CEO also commented: “We are excited to be working with Singapore Airlines to re-launch its premium non-stop service to the US.” According to him, the A350 is the perfect, flexible platform for such operations, offering suitable operating economics for the longest routes, and the wider and quieter cabin would also provide a comfortable environment for passengers.

Launched earlier this year, A350-900 features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, and fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. These translate to improvements in fuel efficiency, lowering fuel burn and emissions by as much as 25 percent, and also significantly reduces maintenance costs.

Singapore Airlines makes the largest customer for the A350 XWB family in East Asia, and deliveries of the carrier’s A350-900ULR aircraft are scheduled to take place in 2018.