Emirates announces world’s longest flight

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Emirates is set to launch the world’s longest non-stop flight, from Dubai to Panama City, in February.

The flight from the Gulf emirate to the capital of Panama will last 17 hours and 35 minutes, the airline said Thursday.

Currently Australian carrier Qantas holds the record for the longest flight, one that links Sydney with Dallas in just under 17 hours.

The daily flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR in a 3-class layout — eight in First, 42 in Business, and 216 in Economy, the company said.

“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,” said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum.

“We’re also pleased to be the only commercial airline to offer a daily, first-class service to travellers on what will be the world’s longest non-stop flight.”

Flight EK251 will depart Dubai at 08:05 and arrive in Panama City at 16:40 daily. The return flight, EK252, will leave Panama City at 22:10, arriving in Dubai at 22:55 the next day.

“It is gratifying to see how diplomatic efforts focused on generating development and prosperity for Panama materialize,” said Isabel Saint Malo de Alvarado, vice-president of Panama.

“New doors to the country will open with a direct connection to the Middle East — a strong and thriving region with great synergies to both Panama and Latin America.”

Emirates has 235 aircraft in its all wide-body fleet. The airline flies to 147 destinations in 81 countries.

Images are courtesy of Emirates and Tocumen International Airport.

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Qantas steals the Dallas show

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The Qantas A380. Qantas photo.

Qantas Airways has stolen the thunder from its partner Emirates by announcing that it will launch an Airbus A380 service to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) a couple of days before the world’s largest operator of the superjumbo does.

“Qantas customers travelling on the popular Sydney-Dallas/Fort Worth route will soon be able to enjoy the world’s largest passenger aircraft on the world’s longest route,” the Australian carrier said Wednesday.

The A380 will replace a Qantas Boeing 747 as of Sept. 29.

Models of the Emirates and Qantas A380s.

Emirates, which operate 47 superjumbos, announced early last month that its A380 service will begin Oct. 1.

That was supposed to be the first scheduled A380 service to the airport, where the airline had been operating a daily service since 2012, using a Boeing 777.

“On Oct. 1, the world’s largest passenger aircraft will touch down at DFW with a daily service between Dallas/Fort Worth, the world’s fourth busiest airport, and the city of Dubai (DXB),” the airline said in announcing the service.

“Dallas/Fort Worth will become the 28th international destination to which Emirates operates the aircraft, joining New York and Los Angeles which are already served by the A380.” Emirates also operates an A380 to Toronto, three times a week.

Qantas has been flying to the United States since 1954, when it operated a Super Constellation from Sydney to San Francisco, and to Dallas/Fort Worth since 2011.

“It is the hub for our partner American Airlines and offers more than 30 destinations beyond the west coast of the United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico on their network,” said CEO Alan Joyce.

“When you combine the A380 with the onward connections available from Dallas, this is a great example of the right aircraft on the right route.”

Qantas will offer six flights a week to Dallas.