The dream of a new Air India will soon become reality.
27.07.2023 - 18:28 / smartertravel.com / Tim Winship
Unless you’re traveling in first or business class, and maybe even then, longer flights simply mean more discomfort. So while airlines take it as a point of pride that they operate long, longer, and longest flights, most flyers rightly treat long-flight boasts as more threat than promise.
The latest such claim comes from Qantas, which this week announced the upcoming launch, in March 2018, of nonstop flights between Perth, Australia, and London. The 14,498-kilometer flight will be the world’s longest, at 17 hours, and the first nonstop flight between Australia and Europe.
For some historical perspective, Qantas notes in its news release that when it first began flying between Australia and London, the so-called Kangaroo Route, the journey took four days and required nine stops.
Related:DOT Again Raises Specter of Inflight Phone CallingThe new flights will be operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with 236 seats.
Seats go on sale in April 2017.
The new Qantas flights may not qualify as the world’s longest for long. Singapore Airlines has signaled its intention to resume nonstop flights between the U.S. and Singapore some time in 2018, following receipt of its long-range A350 aircraft from Airbus. Flight times on the route would be 19 or more hours.
Impressive, if you’re an airline geek. Scary otherwise.
Reader Reality Check
Are you a fan or foe of long flights?
More from SmarterTravel: Iconic TWA Terminal to Get Second Life as Airport Hotel Shopping Alert: Earn JetBlue Points for Amazon The Best Hotel Program? It DependsAfter 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
The dream of a new Air India will soon become reality.
President Joe Biden has designated a new national monument near the Grand Canyon, recognizing tribal nations and indigenous peoples and protecting their sacred ancestral land.
Airlines are pushing boundaries to connect far-flung global cities every year. The longest flight in the world, currently flown by Singapore Airlines, is proof. For travelers who want to visit loved ones—not to mention frequent fliers looking for new ways to earn and burn miles and points—this 19-hour journey from John F. Kennedy is a gem in the crown of ultra-long-haul travel. But even in first and business class, the prospect of such a long journey can be daunting.
A new restaurant in the middle of the Hardangerfjord in Norway is wowing — and scaring — TikTok.
The world’s fastest growing sport is becoming a year-round hobby for many. Pickleball, the tennis ping pong hybrid sweeping the nation, has made its impact on New York City this year, with outdoor courts across the boroughs, including in popular landmarks including Union Square and Central Park.
Thousands of passengers got stuck for hours on planes waiting to take off at LaGuardia Airport on Friday due to delays caused by bad weather.
Until yesterday, American Airlines customers dismayed at the airline’s August 1 pivot to a spend-based mileage program had a fallback option: Earn miles for their American flights in Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan program, which still awards miles the old-fashioned way, according to the distance flown.
Update, September 18: The FAA has issued updated guidance regarding usage of Samsung Galaxy 7 phones in flight, stating “passengers may not turn on or charge the devices when they carry them on board a plane. Passengers must also protect the devices from accidental activation, including disabling any features that may turn on the device, such as alarm clocks, and must not pack them in checked luggage.” The statement does not mention if any penalties are associated with failure to comply with this guidance. Read the full statement here.
For travelers to, from, or through Los Angeles International Airport, it may seem as though the airport, the world’s seventh busiest, is in a semi-permanent state of modernization and remodeling, with all the construction, traffic, and delays that entails. A pretty picture it ain’t.
Headed Down Under? Delta has announced a new bonus-mile promotion for Australia flights. But it’s not the only option.
New flight routes mean more competition and bigger savings for travelers. Here are seven new routes from JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, WOW Air, and others that’ll drive bargains this year.
When airlines announce new service between two cities, it doesn’t just create more flight options. It also drives down airfares. This spring, new routes from major carriers like American, JetBlue, United, and Virgin America will mean big savings on service both in the U.S. and abroad. Here are the 10 routes with the best potential for bargains.