Singapore Airlines Cancels the World’s Longest Commercial Flights

The longest commercial flights in the world — Singapore Airlines’ flights 21 and 22, running between Singapore and Newark, New Jersey — are slated for cancellation The Economist’s Gulliver blog reports. The flights traverse 9,525 miles in about 19 hours.

Qantas’s 8,576-mile route between Sydney and Dallas now has the top honor, according to USA Today, with Delta’s Atlanta to Johannesburg flight (8,434 miles) a close third.
Singapore Airlines cancelled the flights as part of a deal with AirBus, the Economist writes, in which “Singapore will get five new A380s and 20 new A350s, and the manufacturer will buy back the A340-500s that the airline uses on its super-long-haul routes.”

Majority of British Air Travelers Surveyed ‘Don’t Trust’ Female Pilots

Fifty-one percent of British air travelers “don’t trust” female pilots, citing their inability to handle pressure, according to a poll conducted by U.K.-based travel site sunshine.co.uk and reported by The Daily Mail.

Twenty-six percent of respondents said the pilot’s gender was irrelevant while 14 percent were less likely to trust a male pilot. Respondents who did not trust a man heading the cockpit, cited their “hot headedness” and ability to be easily distracted as reasons for their distrust.One possible reason for the unease about female pilots: their relative rareness. Ten percent of respondents said their previous crews had been exclusively male. And the Huffington Post points out a 2010 FAA report that notes of the 266,000 commercial pilots in America, only about 8,715 were female.

Business Travel Spending Expected to Increase 7.2 Percent in 2014

Based on “an improving economy, steady profits and hikes in business investment,” the Global Business Travel Association is predicting business-travel spending will increase 7.2 percent to $288.8 billion in 2014, according to NBC News.

The number of business trips declined this year, but it is expected to increase by 1.6 percent next year. Hmm, 1.6 percent growth in volume but a 7.2 percent growth in revenue…The report projects North American airfares will “decline in 2014 as a result of heightened competition from low-cost carriers, challenging unemployment levels and corporate travel policies becoming more stringent in regard to business-class travel.” But it allows that “pending consolidation among major U.S. airlines may offset these expected declines.”

Hotel prices, however, are projected to increase.

United Increases Miles Needed to Redeem Some Frequent Flyer Rewards

United Airlines revised its frequent flyer rewards program last night, “upping the number of miles needed for some of its most popular awards,” according to USA Today.

United spokesperson Rahsaan Johnson told USA Today the change was made to “to account for the increased cost of providing transportation.” Last month, United reported third quarter earnings of $379 million, up from $6 million the previous year but below the all-important analysts’ expectations.

Of course, you probably didn’t like United anyway: earlier this year the carrier finished dead last in the 23rd annual national Airline Quality Ratings, which ranks airlines based on U.S. Department of Transportation figures. United received more complaints than any other carrier.

FAA Says Some Electronics Can Now Be Used Throughout Your Flight

If you’re tired of shutting off your gadgets during take off and landing (or you’re one of those passengers who surreptitiously leaves them on) then get ready for some good news. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that it is loosening restrictions on the use of electronics in-flight, meaning some devices can now be used the entire time you’re on the plane.

Under the changes, travelers will be able to use e-readers, play games, and watch videos on their portable devices throughout their journey. Bluetooth devices like wireless keyboards can also be used on flights. Cell phones will still face some restrictions, with passengers required to keep them in airplane mode. And as is currently the case, no phone calls will be allowed at any time onboard. The FAA says passengers may be asked to stow some heavier devices during takeoff and landing for safety reasons, but in general, the new rules reflect much more freedom for fliers.The FAA says it came to the decision after receiving input from pilots, electronics manufacturers, and passengers, and that the new rules balance safety with travelers’ increasing appetite to use electronics during flights.

The new rules won’t necessarily apply immediately, and exactly how they’ll be implemented will probably differ from one airline to the next. But the FAA believes most carriers will have the changes in place by the end of the year.