“The world is now truly our oyster” exclaims Richard Quest of CNN as he walks out of Singapore Airlines flight SQ22 in Newark Airport. Having covered the flight from announcement to inaugural flight, Richard Quest of CNN treated viewers and followers via Twitter and social media to an hour by hour updates on the 17 and half hours flight.
The longest commercial non-stop flight resumed last week from Singapore in Southeast Asia to Newark, US having been shelved after an unsuccessful stint from 2008 to 2013.
What this flight has achieved through modern air travel technology is incredible and astounding. What was once a mind numbing and definitely bone weary flight, of almost 24 hours (including transit at various airports) has now become more convenient – shaving significant hours and delivering passengers at the other end in a better frame of mind and body.
What possibly would be that important for one to have to travel 17 hours to get to the US? Cannot it not be resolved over a call or audio conferencing for example? Valid points to ponder but for the travel technology buffs among us, this is an achievement that disregards our natural inability to fly like migrating birds and cover large distances in a day!
The flight is a true celebration of engineering, technology and will. The unwavering focus and march in trying to make the world a small place – to enable the sampling of the other side of the world in a matter of hours continues unabated.
News channel CNN’s Richard Quest was a guest and covered it in detail.
Video courtesy of Quest Means Business