Dubai: Emirates became the latest airline to operate the world’s longest journey with its maiden non-stop Dubai to Auckland flight on Wednesday.
The flight outdid Emirates’ Australian partner Qantas who were the title holder with its Dallas-to-Sydney service that took 16 hours to cover 13,800 kilometres.
Emirates is calling their 14,000 journey from the Arabian Gulf to New Zealand’s North Island, “one of the world’s longest scheduled flights.”
And at 17 hours and 10 minutes on the return leg, it pipped Qantas in both time and distance for the world’s current longest flight. Singapore Airlines had flown 18 hours from Newark (USA) to its city-state hub but discontinued that flight in 2013.
Gulf News readers seem to find a way to kill time when flying over 30,000 feet.
Mohsin Abrar, a marketing manager based in Dubai, is a frequent flyer. He has a passion for photography and travels to various destinations to capture the scenery.
He said: “When leaving from Dubai, I usually take a lot of information on the places I would be interested in shooting at the destination. I get to do research and time goes by really fast. On the way back, I usually start processing the pictures. As a photographer, you become curious about your work and want to see what you have shot.”
Abrar travels to at least three destinations in a month and the longest flight he has been on is from Dubai to Hong Kong, which was a little over seven hours.
He said: “I don’t like to walk around as I want to be respectful towards other travellers. I stretch in my own seat or get up to use the washroom.”
Michelle Cantillana, a banker based in Dubai, travels at least once every three months.
She said: “On long-haul flights, I usually just get up to use the washroom. Otherwise, I prefer to sleep or watch lots of movies.”
The longest trip that Cantillana has been on was an 11-hour flight from Dubai to Japan.
She said: “When choosing a flight, I make sure the plane is a comfortable one. You need a good entertainment system and leg space. The airline should provide a good meal. I always choose the aisle seat. If the row besides me is empty, I prefer to lie down to stretch my legs. Additionally, I always try to stay awake if the flight is longer than 10 hours to avoid jetlag.”
Fatima Suhail, a student based in Sharjah, said: “The longest flight I have been on was from Dubai to New York, which is over 14 hours. Through the flight, I made it a point to walk or at least stand for a few minutes every few hours to keep my blood circulating. I also ensured I had plenty of water to keep myself hydrated, tried resting for a few hours and avoided hot beverages, sweets and soda.”
