This was published 2 years ago
World's longest flight route: Singapore Airlines' US routes get a new wellness focus
By Craig Platt
Singapore Airlines uses an Airbus A350-900 on its ultra-long-haul flights to the US.Credit: Getty Images
From next month, travellers on some of the world's longest flights will arrive feeling fresher as Singapore Airlines rolls out a new wellness program.
The airline has partnered with Californian health retreat, Golden Door, to create a new focus on wellness on its long-haul flights between Singapore and the US, including on the world's longest flight route: Singapore to New York.
Features of the partnership include special meals and drinks, exercise and stretching programmes and health content including advice on how to get the best sleep on planes.
Premium economy class on board Singapore Airlines' Airbus A350.
"Now, more than ever, our customers are focused on maximising wellness in every aspect of their lives," said Singapore Airlines' Mr Yeoh Phee Teik, the airline's senior vice president of customer experience.
"This partnership is instrumental in finding practical, effective ways to extend the principles and practice of well being to air travel."
Golden Door's resort in San Marcos, north of San Diego in California, bills itself as the No.1 spa resort in the world (and was named as such by Conde Nast Traveler in 2019). A stay at the resort doesn't come cheap, with a week-long stay costing almost $14,000 (which also explains why the directions on the resort's website handily explain how to get there by private jet).
One of Singapore Airlines' new dishes developed with Golden Door wellness resort: scallops with cauliflower sauce, wild rice and beurre noisette.
But passengers on board Singapore Airlines won't have to fork out so much to experience food and plans designed by the resort's chefs, nutritionists, and personal trainers, as the Golden Door options will be available to everyone on board, regardless of class. However, for the flights operated by the airline's ultra-long-range Airbus A350s, that will mean a minimum of premium economy, as these planes do not feature an economy class.
Main courses on the Golden Door menu, which are available in addition to the airline's regular menu, include portobello meatballs, risotto heirloom tomato sauce with wilted greens; lemon-roasted Cornish hen, farm verde, asparagus and roasted eggplant fricassee; or scallops or tofu with cauliflower sauce, wild rice and beurre noisette.
The new wellness program will roll out on the airline's Singapore-Los Angeles route next month, with other US routes to follow. Singapore to Los Angeles takes close to 15 hours, with the return leg taking about 17 hours. The New York route, by comparison, takes 17 hours from Singapore to New York and close to 18 hours - sometimes up to 19 hours - on return.
Wellness on planes is increasingly becoming a focus for airlines as new aircraft make longer and longer flights possible.
Qantas, which plans to launch non-stop flights from Sydney to New York and London under its Project Sunrise plan, has also been investigating how passengers can maintain their wellbeing on ultra-long-haul flights. During test flights in 2019, the small number of passengers on board were asked to modify their sleep and behaviour patterns with exercise, food and light exposure.
Researchers from Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre then monitored passengers to track sleep patterns and eating habits.
Other airlines, such as Etihad and Fiji Airways, have also introduced wellness-focused staff to their flights, though in these cases they are more focused on COVID-related safety and health.
See also: Do you need to be vaccinated? Comparing each airline's new travel rules
See also: Hour by hour: My epic trip on board the world's longest flight
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