Emirates plans world's longest commercial flight
The Dubai to Panama City service will link the world's two largest 'free ports'.
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Emirates Airline next year will set a record for long commercial flights, with a planned service between Dubai and Panama City.
The flight, due to start on February 1, 2016, will take 17 hours 35 minutes in the westbound direction (eastbound routes generally have tail winds).
The world’s longest commercial service is a Qantas-operated service between Sydney and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, taking 16 hours 50 minutes (westbound).
The previous record of 18 hours 50 minutes between Singapore and Newark (New York) was cancelled in 2014.
Qantas uses an Airbus A380 superjumbo for its flight while the new daily Emirates service to Panama will use Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.
The three-class flight can carry 266 passengers and up to 15 tonnes of cargo. Freight will be a feature of the flight, as it will link the world’s two largest “free ports.”
Key imports to Panama include pharmaceuticals, machinery products, iron/steel rods and electronics.
Panama’s Tocumen International Airport will be Emirates’ first destination in Central America.
Panama has two of the busiest ports in Latin America, including Colón, the world's second largest free trade zone after, of course, Dubai’s Jebel Ali.
Later this year, Emirates will be adding four additional routes to its global network – Mashhad (Iran) and Orlando (USA) in September; Bamako (Mali) in October; and Bologna (Colombia) in November.
Nevil Gibson
Fri, 14 Aug 2015
Fri, 14 Aug 2015
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Emirates plans world's longest commercial flight
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