Singapore Airlines has partnered with wellness brand Canyon Ranch to reinvent ultra-long-haul travel with a focus on wellness cuisine, rest and relaxation, and general wellbeing on the world’s longest flights.
The Canyon Ranch team of experts from integrative medicine, exercise, nutrition and other disciplines has developed science-based strategies for improved sleep, exercise and stretching, as well as new, nutrition-focused menus. This expertise will be applied specifically to SIA’s 18 hour 45 minutes non-stop service launching in October 2018 between Singapore and New York’s Newark International Airport, the world’s longest commercial flight. The programme will also extend to Singapore-US non-stop services to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Yeoh Phee Teik, Acting Senior Vice President Customer Experience, Singapore Airlines, commented: “SIA is firmly committed to continually elevating our customer’s experience to be the number one in the industry. Our new partnership with Canyon Ranch builds on that commitment, as well as our strong legacy of service, tapping into their deep expertise and science-based recommendations and strategies to deliver an even more comfortable journey for our customers.”
The partnership focuses on the following components:
- Wellness Cuisines – developed by Canyon Ranch chefs and nutritionists focused on nutrition and hydration (taking into consideration longer flight duration with less body movement), combined with bold flavours and textures. These wellness cuisines are offered in addition to SIA’s own meal selections and creations by its International Culinary Panel chefs.
- Rest and Relaxation – which includes sleep strategies designed to help passengers in all cabin classes improve the duration and quality of rest, as well as specific light settings to provide better cabin ambience for rest and relaxation.
- Guided Stretching Exercises – led by Canyon Ranch exercise physiologists, accessible via personal seatback entertainment systems to promote relaxation.
Susan Docherty, CEO of Canyon Ranch, added: “As a trailblazer in integrative wellness for four decades, collaborating with the world’s most awarded airline that has ushered customers globally for more than 70 years, our affiliation is testimony to heritage brands that continue to innovate. We are fortunate to provide transformative wellness to guests on land, at sea and now – in the air, with a partner that is equally committed to their guests’ experience as we are.”
SIA will be the first airline in the world to operate the A350-900ULR, with seven on firm order with Airbus. This ultra-long-range aircraft will be configured in a two-class layout, with 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy Class seats. SIA’s existing A350-900s feature a three-class layout with 42 Business Class, 24 Premium Economy and 187 Economy Class seats.
Singapore Airlines currently has 21 A350-900s in its fleet, with 46 more on order including the seven ULR variants. The first A350-900ULR is due for delivery in September, enabling the launch in October of the world’s longest non-stop flights, between Singapore and New York’s Newark International Airport. Non-stop flights to Los Angeles are due to begin on 2 November 2018. Together with increased Singapore-San Francisco non-stop services, SIA will link Singapore and the US with 27 weekly non-stop flights by the end of 2018, while total US frequency will increase to 53 flights per week.
