Singapore Airlines Cancels the World’s Longest Commercial Flights

by Zach Everson on

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.”

2014: The Year of the Traveling PANK?

by Zach Everson on

One of the biggest possible travel trends in the Americas during 2014: PANKs. No, they’re not a new competitor for Spanx, but rather professional aunts, no kids. These women are spending billions traveling with their nieces and nephews according to Euromonitor International’s Global Trends Report, as reported by the International Business Times.

Melanie Notkin, chief executive at Savvy Auntie, an online community for aunts and godmothers, told the International Business Times she estimates there are 23 million PANKs in the United States who spend $9 billion annually on children.Other 2014 travel trends Euromonitor International identified include

  • peer-to-peer travel increasing in Europe
  • budget carriers in the Middle East adding more services
  • African’ safaris becoming more suitable for children
  • concierge assistance via mobile devices growing

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

by Zach Everson on

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

by Zach Everson on

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.

What You Missed This Week: Travel News Roundup

by Gadling Staff on

We publish a lot of stories every week on Gadling. Sometimes you might just miss one or two. Don’t spend your entire weekend combing for the must-read stories. We’ve gathered everything that was popular from the last week. Here’s your one-stop, weekly roundup.

Most Read:
Lonely Planet Releases Top 10 Cities For Travelers

Best News All Week For Kindle Fiends:
FAA Says Some Electronics Can Now Be Used Throughout Your Flight

Helpful Advice If You’re Traveling Soon:
Book Christmas Travel Immediately, Says Travelocity

Most Likely To Increase Sales Of Bedpans:
Meet The Man Who Drove Across The U.S. In Little Over A Day

Most Popular on Social Media:
Video Of The Day: Safety Dance, Airplane Style

Most Popular on AOL Travel:
Everything You Need To Know About River Cruises