Aviation

United launches longest flight to or from US, from LA to Singapore

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United Airlines on Friday was set to launch the longest non-stop flight to or from the United States, an 8,700-mile (14,001-kilometer) journey connecting Los Angeles and Singapore. The nearly 18-hour flight will depart Los Angeles at 9:25 pm local time and will land on Sunday in Singapore at 6:20 am local time.

United officials said the daily service will be the longest non-stop flight from the US to anywhere in the world. Previously, the record was held by Qantas, which operates an 8,576-mile flight between Dallas and Sydney, as well as United’s San Francisco-Singapore route (8,446 miles) launched last year.

Both of United’s Los Angeles and San Francisco routes are operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that can accommodate some 250 passengers. David Hilfman, United’s senior vice president of Worldwide Sales, said the new route will consolidate the airline’s position in Asia, with Singapore a key destination for business travelers.

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly