Going the Distance

New aircraft are making ultra-long-haul flights increasingly available. How airlines are handling the possibilities-and what it means for passengers

- Ramsey Qubein

THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY of new aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 gives airlines more flexibility than ever before. Not only can they use the aircraft on routes that don't require the 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 18 hours on a flight can be taxing to both the body and mind. Still, the demand for these flights is strong, and the time saved by avoiding changing planes can be substantial.

Connecting the globe

As airlines acquire more aircraft capable of flying 8,000 miles at a time, they add more routes to their network. Most famous are the longest flights in the world, both operated by Singapore Airlines from New York-JFK and Newark to Singapore. Qatar Airways and Emirates also offer lengthy flights, with the former restarting its route between Doha and Auckland in September-its longest scheduled flight at more than 9,000 miles.

American Airlines and United fly from New York to India, with the return journey taking approximately 16 hours.

Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances for United Airlines, says there are always potential route opportunities. Among the things they consider 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.