Dubai-based
Emirates airline says it will launch the world's longest non-stop flight next
year, connecting the Gulf nation with Central America. Dubai-Panama City
passengers will be in their seats for over 17 hours.
Slated to
debut in February 2016, the 13,821-kilometer (8,590-mile) stretch between Dubai
and Panama City will take approximately 17 hours, 35 minutes - using a Boeing
777-200LR to carry up to 266 passengers and 15 tons of cargo.
"Panama
City will be our first destination gateway in Central America, providing a
convenient option for our passengers travelling from or through our global hub
in Dubai and onward to destinations throughout Central America, the Caribbean
and the northern part of South America," the airline's chief executive
Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum told the dpa news agency.
Panama to
United Arab Emirates
Australia's
Qantas currently operates the world's longest flight, from Dallas, Texas to
Sydney, Australia, which takes just under 17 hours. The new flight between
Dubai and Panama City is longer by just 17 kilometers.
Singapore
Airlines had previously operated an even longer flight - nearly 19 hours - that
connected Singapore to Newark, New Jersey, but scrapped it two years ago to cut
costs.
Emirates is backed by the government of Dubai and has expanded rapidly by routing
international transit passengers and cargo through its hub in the Persian Gulf.
jar/jr (dpa, AFP, AP)
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