Yet you need not fly anywhere near southeast Asia to enjoy the best inflight service on the planet: try northwest England to Texas instead
“SQ”, as many aviation people know the airline, connects Manchester with Houston three times a week. The link is particularly popular with oil people who fly from Aberdeen to Manchester on Loganair then settle in for 10 hours of the Singapore experience en route to America’s oil hub.
Heading instead for India? You can fly from London Heathrow to Mumbai with a carrier whose slogan is “Fly the Flag”. In this case, the ensign bears the Canadian maple leaf.
And a trans-Mediterranean hop from Malta to Cyprus? The only nonstop choice is for wide-bodied comfort with a top Gulf airline.
These are among the many possibilities of “fifth-freedom” flying – which means you travel on a plane belonging to an airline from neither your origin nor destination. The practice is more widespread than you might think, and can confer many benefits on the traveller. And it goes back almost eight decades.
Late in 1944, towards the end of the Second World War, the airlines and governments of the Allies gathered in Chicago to try to establish some common rules for international aviation.
Denne historien er fra November 08, 2023-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 08, 2023-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Hamilton is the big draw for a London spin on F1 show
Prior to the Drive to Survive era that triggered the sport’s unprecedented boom, one of Liberty Media’s first ventures as Formula One’s bright-eyed American owners came in the summer of 2017.
'In France, I lead a much easier, much simpler life'
Former Premier League star Andy Carroll speaks to Dani Gil about his topsy-turvy career, and his new start at Bordeaux
Breaking point: a title era is ending before our very eyes
Blame Antonio Conte, perhaps. The former Chelsea manager was not the pioneer but he was a trailblazer.
Withdrawals force Carsley to blood youth in Greece tie
It is an England football team, if not the England team that will take the field in Athens on Thursday night. Aaron Ramsdale, Trent Alexander-Arnold, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish is a line-up that would require a false nine.
Is this a megajob too much for even Musk to handle?
Just when you thought Elon Musk’s involvement in politics was over after he helped to secure the election of his new BFF, Donald Trump, it was announced that he is going to be a key figure in the running of the US for the foreseeable future.
Fuller's boss warns of price rises after Budget tax hike
A major pub chain has joined the growing list of hospitality businesses warning of price rises due to Labour’s Budget.
Post Office shake-up puts 115 branches under threat
Move affecting 1,000 workers is tone deaf’ says union boss
High alert as Costa del Sol residents flee fresh storms
Fresh storms in Spain have left streets deluged and forced schools to close, two weeks after the worst floods in the country’s modern history, which killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
Senior Russian naval officer dies in Crimea car bombing
A senior Russian naval officer has been killed in a car bombing in occupied Crimea the latest in a series of targeted attacks on Russian military personnel.
Europe faces a bigger threat level if US warms to Putin
According to anonymous sources quoted in The Washington Post, one of Donald Trump’s first actions on being re-elected was to call Vladimir Putin. That call was immediately denied by the Kremlin.
