By Robert Wall 
 

LONDON--Airbus SE (AIR.FR) on Monday completed the first flight of an ultra-long-range version of its A350 widebody to help satisfy growing demand to link even remote cities.

The A350-900ULR has been designed to fly non-stop for more than 11,100 miles, or more than 20 hours, said Airbus, and it is due to enter service with Singapore Airlines Ltd. (C6L.SG) in the second half of the year. The carrier said it plans to link Singapore with New York on the world's longest non-stop flight.

Qantas Airways Ltd. (QAN.AU) last month began direct flights between London and Perth, Australia, and has asked Airbus and rival Boeing Co. (BA) to propose planes that could link Sydney with London or New York in what would become the world's longest route.

Airbus also said it has stretched the range of the baseline A350-900 by allowing it to carry about 6,340 gallons more fuel, and it is putting extra fuel in a center wing tank rather than adding fuel tanks in the cargo compartment.

The European plane maker conducted the aircraft's first flight from its headquarters in Toulouse, France.

The plane features some changes to the wing and other parts that will be used to make baseline A350s more efficient, and the enhancements should help lower fuel burn about 1%, said Marisa Lucas-Ugena, head of A350 marketing for Airbus. The updated A350 also comes with greater takeoff weight, allowing the plane to carry more fuel or cargo. It should stretch the range of a regular A350 about 460 miles.

Singapore Airlines is one of Airbus's biggest customers for widebody jets. The airline has ordered 67 A350-900s, including seven for the ultra-long-range routes.

Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 23, 2018 10:28 ET (14:28 GMT)