Coronavirus helps set a new record: World's longest scheduled commercial flight ever!
An Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787-9 lands after its flying display at the International Paris Air Show
One of the biggest industries to be hit by the long-term repercussions of the coronavirus is aviation. Thousands of flights have been cancelled globally, with stringent travel bans in place to contain the outbreak.
However, this helped create a new record!
On March 14, Air Tahiti Nui, a French airline undertook the longest ever passenger flight in terms of distance. The flight covered 15,715 kilometres from Papeete in Tahiti, French Polynesia to the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.
CNN reported that this new record was a result of the travel restrictions in place, especially the ones set up by the United States.
Usually, this route involves a halt at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
If an aeroplane halts in the US, passengers have to undergo customs before continuing their journey.
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However, owing to current restrictions, this was impractical. So, the aircraft flew directly from Papeete airport to Paris and covered the journey in under 16 hours, making it the world's longest commercial flight, considering the distance which was covered.
The record was previously held by Singapore Airlines, which offers a flight between Singapore and Newark covering a distance of 15,343 kilometres.
An Australian carrier called Qantas tried something different last year. They undertook ''Project Sunrise'', whereby the aircraft flew for 19 hours non-stop between London and Sydney. However, no paying passengers were on board.
This flight, TN064 is also the world's longest scheduled domestic flight, for it travelled within French territory, from French Polynesia and mainland France.
The aircraft crew included four pilots, and ran the next-generation Boeing 787-9, CNN reported.
Media reports suggest that the aircraft was not at all full, and was able to undertake the full journey without refuelling.
The airline, however, said that these are one-off measures, only in place until the coronavirus pandemic is in full swing. Most airlines around the world are trying to navigate across the contemporary aviation climate, whereby a lot of bans have crippled the scope of layovers and halts.
The International Air Transport Association has said that the revenue losses due to coronavirus could run as high as 113 billion dollars across the industry this year.