I’ve taken my share of long-haul flights to Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe and South America. But ultra long-haul? Only once, on Emirates from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. The eighth longest flight in the world, it covers 8,824 miles and clocks in at 17 hours and five minutes. The term ultra long-haul is generally reserved for flights lasting more than 16 hours. The flight duration is calculated from the time the aircraft is pushed back from its departure gate (technically though, upon engine startup) to its arrival at the destination gate or apron. Flight duration can sometimes be referred to as “chock-to-chock." Most of today's ultra long-haul flights are between Asia, Oceania, or the Middle East to Europe and the Americas. This post will focus on the history of ultra long-haul travel, where such flights are operated today, and what what the future might hold.
On November 4, 1982, Pan American World Airways inaugurated its 7,487-mile service from Los Angeles to Sydney. Two years later, Qantas began flying this route and also offered service between Melbourne and Los Angeles. These flights were operated by the Boeing 747, at around 16 hours long. Today, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has shortened this duration to just over 13 hours. While ultra long-haul operations have been around for quite a while, only recently did these services become more economical. Thanks to new wide bodies like the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350, ultra long-haul services can now be operated more efficiently. Not only do today’s jetliners have improved long-range capabilities, but compared to older aircraft, they are more lightweight, resulting in lower fuel burn. In fact, the Airbus A350 burns an average of 25 cents per gallon less than the 747, which was traditionally used for long-haul operations.
In 2003, Singapore Airlines began flying the Airbus A340-500 between Singapore Changi (SIN) and Newark Liberty International (EWR) Airports. It was the longest route in the world at the time and still stands as the second-longest today. In 2018, the airline switched to the A350-900 ULR (Ultra Long Range). In the same year that Singapore Airlines made the aircraft type switch, Qantas launched its service between Perth and London on a Boeing 787. This marked the first time Europe and Oceania were connected via non-stop flights and was a significant milestone in aviation history. Additionally, the introduction of this service meant that all continents (except Antarctica) were now connected by non-stop flights. With a duration of 17 hours and 45 minutes over a distance of 9,009 miles, this is currently the fourth-longest route in the world. Then, in 2020, clocking in at 18 hours and 50 minutes, came the ultra long-haul flight between Singapore Changi Airport and New York John F. Kennedy Airport. Also operated by Singapore Airlines using the A350-900 ULR, the flight covers 9,585 mile. This flight surpassed the SIN-EWR route as the world's longest and still holds the record.
While the ultra long-haul may seem like the way to go, some experts believe the future of aviation lies in shorter, more sustainable travel. Susanne Becken, Professor of Sustainable Tourism at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, said, “We know that more people are sustainability-minded and are considering their carbon emissions and other environmental factors when booking flights. Long-haul flights are the most difficult to reduce the carbon of with new technologies.” Regardless of those sharing that view, long-haul routes are here to stay – at least in the near future – as airlines continue venturing into newer, longer routes, such as Qatar Airways' 17 hour and 40 minute flight from Doha to Auckland and Air New Zealand's recently launched 17-hour service between that city and New York. The future of ultra long- haul airline travel likely includes increased availability of non-stop flights to further destinations, improved passenger comfort on longer journeys through advanced cabin designs, and a focus on sustainable fuel technologies to mitigate environmental concerns.
The advanced technology of new aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350-900 ULR give airlines more flexibility than ever before. Not only can they use these aircraft on routes that don’t require a larger seat capacity, but they can also fly farther without cannibalizing the passenger or cargo volume. This opens dozens of new possibilities to fly ultra long-haul flights to every corner of the globe. However, what’s good for airlines may not always be good for passengers. After all, spending over 16 hours on a flight in any class of service can be taxing to both the body and the mind. Sitting in a seat for extended periods of time can be detrimental to your health, and the effects of jet lag can be brutal. Still, the demand for these flights is strong, and the time saved by avoiding connections can be substantial.
As airlines acquire more aircraft capable of flying 8,000 miles at a time, they will add more routes to their networks. American and United Airlines fly from New York to India, with the return journey taking approximately 16 hours. United especially is no stranger to ultra long-haul flights, operating routes like Houston-Sydney and San Francisco-Singapore, among others. Their options continue to grow. Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances for United, says there are always potential route opportunities. Among the airline's considerations is competition on the route from other airlines, the number of local passengers traveling from either city, airport slot availability, how much connecting traffic is needed to make the route work, and the length of the flight. After all, the longer the flight, the more aircraft resources the airline needs, which takes planes away from other routes.The most famous routes come from Qantas. Since 2017, it has used Dreamliners to fly between London Heathrow and Perth, continuing on to Sydney after a short stop. This is the first time the United Kingdom and Australia have been connected without a stop. And when the new Airbus A350-1000 planes arrive, Qantas will initiate Project Sunrise and fly nonstop from Sydney to both New York and London.
Qantas tapped into research from doctors and psychologists to assist in designing the onboard experience for Project Sunrise. It also hired interior designers to give these planes an upmarket feel. A new feature is the well-being zone—a dedicated space where people can relax and stretch away from their seats. It will have a self-serve snack station as well as digital displays providing stretching and movement exercise recommendations. While the planes will use 20-percent less fuel and emit 25 percent of the CO-2 emissions of older planes, that doesn’t provide much comfort to passengers on a flight that can take as long as 20 hours. With this in mind and recognizing the demand for premium cabin seats, these Qantas A350s will have First, Business and Premium Economy cabins, which will comprise almost half of the aircraft’s capacity. The six Project Sunrise First Class suites will have a separate seat and bed, complete with a privacy door as well as a lounge chair, wardrobe and 32-inch entertainment screen. The Business Class seats will all have direct aisle access and a sliding privacy door.
The increase in ultra long-haul flying is an exciting development for the future. It further shrinks our world, bringing far-flung destinations within easy reach via non-stop flights.
Until next time…safe travels.