World's longest non-stop flight set to depart from Singapore

Singapore: A Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to New York, deemed as the world's longest non-stop flight, is set to take off on Thursday.

Singapore Airlines is relaunching the service five years after they withdrew it because it had become too expensive, reports the BBC.

It will cover more than 15,000 km and is scheduled to take just under 19 hours.

Singapore Airlines said there was a demand by customers for non-stop services which help cut travelling times compared with flights which have a stopover.

The airline told the BBC that business class seats for the flight were fully booked.

However, there were "a very limited number" of premium economy seats left.

The airline is not planning to offer any economy bookings on the route.

A business class ticket will entitle passengers to two meals, and the choice of when they are served, plus refreshments in between. They will also have a bed to sleep in.

Premium economy fares will get three meals at fixed times, with refreshments in between.

The brand new Airbus plane that SIA is using has been configured to seat 161 passengers in all - 67 business passengers and 94 premium economy passengers.

Qantas launched a 17-hour non-stop service from Perth to London earlier this year, while Qatar runs a 17.5-hour service between Auckland and Doha.