Qatar Airways launches world's longest flight

Top Stories

Embracing the bright side: A guide on how to cultivate optimism

The power of solitude: Why you should go on a solo trip

How to get your kids to read: Essential tips for parents

Qatar Airways launches worlds longest flight

Doha - The return service, taking 17 hours and 30 minutes, would be the world's longest.

By AFP

Published: Sun 5 Feb 2017, 3:25 PM

Last updated: Mon 6 Feb 2017, 1:20 AM

Qatar Airways launched the world's longest scheduled commercial service with its inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland taking off eight minutes early on Sunday, a company spokeswoman said.
Flight QR920 left the Qatari capital at 05:02 (0202 GMT) and is set to land in New Zealand at 07:30 local time on Monday (1830 GMT).

Before departing on its record-setting flight, @qatarairways' A7-BBB made the 321km journey from Abu Dhabi to Doha. https://t.co/o7gndkgC9h pic.twitter.com/WpLRuuhyLW
- Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) February 5, 2017

?? @qatarairways begins the new longest route in the world as #QR920 departs for Auckland. https://t.co/ISlPMLJ8CH #AucklandTogether pic.twitter.com/tyU05jrOUM
- Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) February 5, 2017

The Boeing 777 flight will take 16 hours and 20 minutes, pass over 10 time zones, five countries and travel 14,535 kilometres (9,032 miles) before reaching Auckland.
But even that flying time may be looked on jealously by passengers on the return flight which, due to high-altitude winds, will take 17 hours and 30 minutes, according to the company website.
This will make it the world's longest passenger service in terms of flying time, according to tracking website flightradar24.
Qatar Airways did not immediately have a figure for the number of passengers who boarded on Sunday, but it is believed there are four pilots and 15 crew on the plane.

In March last year, Emirates airline launched what was then thought to be the world's longest non-stop scheduled commercial flight, with a service from Dubai to Auckland, spanning 14,200 kilometres (8,824 miles).

Longest 10 air routes by Great Circle route (includes *links starting in 2018)

1 Singapore-New York*: 9,529 miles
2 Doha-Auckland: 9,032 miles
3 London-Perth*: 9,010 miles
4 Dubai-Auckland: 8,824 miles
5 Singapore-Los Angeles*: 8,770 miles
6 Dallas-Sydney: 8,578 miles
7 Johannesburg-Atlanta: 8,439 miles
8 Singapore-San Francisco: 8,434 miles
9 Abu Dhabi-Los Angeles: 8,387 miles
10 Dubai-Los Angeles: 8,333 miles