Non-stop Beetwen The Gold and The Kiwi

 
A6-EON, received water cannon salute after arrived from Dubai in Auckland as flight EK448

An Emirates Airbus A380-800 aircraft touched down in New Zealand on Wednesday, 2 March 2016, as flight EK448, completing what is believed to be the world’s longest non-stop scheduled commercial flight.

The service from Dubai to Auckland covered 14,200km (8,824 miles), according to industry website airwaysnews.com, pipping Qantas’ 13,800km Sydney-Dallas route launched in 2014.

It said the route was also the longest in duration, with passengers set to spend 17 hours 15 minutes in the air during the return leg from Auckland to Dubai.

However, that record is expected to be short-lived because Emirates’ upcoming Dubai-Panama City service will take 17 hours 35 minutes when it launches later this month.

Emirates described it as “one of the longest air routes in the world by distance”.

“But with the assistance of clever technology and good planning, passengers will get to their destination in the shortest possible time,” it said. 

“Emirates will be using flexible routes, which can vary by day, taking advantage of tail winds and avoiding head winds to reduce the time in the air.” 

The inaugural Dubai-Auckland flight was made by an Airbus A380-800, but the regular service will be carried out using the Boeing 777-200LR.

New Zealand Transport Minister Simon Bridges said the non-stop service, which cuts three hours off current Dubai-Auckland travel times, improved New Zealand’s connectivity to the rest of the world.

“Direct flights will encourage even more trade and tourism between our two countries, by offering more choice to passengers and freight customers,” he said.

When this article was written, A6-EON, the Airbus A380-800 aircraft that flew not-stop between Dubai and Auckland was flew back to Dubai from Auckland, as flight EK449.

 

A6-EON, an Emirates Airbus A380-800 when touched down in Auckland International Airport after direct flight from Dubai International Airport

Hello Airbus A350-900 XWB! Welcome to Singapore Airlines!

Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft after delivered to Singapore Airlines on 2 March 2016

Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft today, 2 March 2016 from Toulouse, France. This aircraft, 9V-SMA is the first aircraft of 67 Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft orders of Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines ordered this type to replace its aging Boeing 777-200 and Boeing 777-200ER aircrafts. 

Singapore Airlines chief executive, Mr. Goh Choon Phong, who attended the ceremony at Toulouse, said that the purchase of the 67 planes will boost SIA's competitiveness and enable more non-stop flights for long-haul destinations.

Mr. Goh added: "In addition to the latest technologies provided by the new aircraft, our customers will enjoy our latest-generation in-flight cabin products on the A350-900 XWB."

Features include wider seats in the Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class, as well as a more advanced in-flight entertainment system.

The schedule of Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900 XWB's first passenger flight is on 9 May 2016. The flight will be operated from Singapore to Amsterdam.

The arrival of Singapore Airlines’ first Airbus A350-900 XWB received water cannon salute

March 2016, IndiGo Will Receive the First Airbus A320neo Aircraft

VT-ITA, the first Airbus A320neo aircraft of IndiGo, will be delivered to IndiGo in March 2016

A low-cost airline of India, IndiGo, will receive its first Airbus A320neo (new engine option) aircraft in March 2016. The delivery of this aircraft was delayed about three months. In the initial plan, IndiGo will receive the first Airbus A320neo in December 2015, and will receive another nine aircrafts until March. Next, IndiGo will receive twenty-four Airbus A320neo aircrafts until March 2017. But, Airbus A320neo aircraft had engine problems prior to its delivery in October 2015 to the previous launch costumer, Qatar Airways, the flag-carrier airline of Qatar. That also caused IndiGo decided to delay the delivery of Airbus A320neo. Then, Qatar Airways and IndiGo decided to delay the delivery until the engine problems be solved. 

After Qatar Airways cancelled to become the launch costumer of Airbus A320neo, Lufthansa,  the flag-carrier airline of Germany became the launch costumer of Airbus A320neo, after its first Airbus A320neo aircraft entered service on 25 January 2016. 

Back to IndiGo, IndiGo was purcashed 250 Airbus A320neo aircrafts in the last August. As March 2016, the airline has 102 all-Airbus A320-200 aircrafts in its fleet. The fleet will be stronger after all the Airbus A320neo orders delivered.