Qantas Sets New Record with Longest Commercial Flight; Virgin Atlantic Launches Air Taxi Service in London
Qantas recently made aviation history with its Airbus A350-1000ULR completing the longest commercial flight ever recorded. The aircraft flew nonstop from Melbourne to Toulouse, France, covering over 23,000 kilometers in 24 hours and 24 minutes, surpassing the previous record of 22 hours and 42 minutes set in 2005 by a Boeing 777-200LR from Hong Kong to London. This flight attracted global attention, with more than 3.6 million people tracking it via Flightradar24, making it the second most-watched flight on the platform after Queen Elizabeth II's 2022 flight.
The A350-1000ULR was specially developed for Qantas's Sunrise project, aiming to launch direct flights from Sydney to London by October 2027. The aircraft features 238 seats, reduced from the standard 300, to accommodate additional fuel tanks and enhance passenger comfort on ultra-long-haul routes.
In the UK, Virgin Atlantic and Joby Aviation have formalized a partnership to introduce electric air taxi services. Starting soon, passengers will be able to book a Joby air taxi from London Heathrow Airport to the city center, reducing travel time to just eight minutes compared to over an hour by car. The Civil Aviation Authority aims to certify these electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft by the end of 2028. The service is expected to cost between £100 and £120, comparable to current Uber and taxi fares.
Meanwhile, Israeli airline El Al is retiring its decade-old safety video featuring Lior Suchard, which amassed 43.7 million views. The new safety videos will star celebrities Gal Gadot, Rotem Sela, and Deni Avdija and incorporate artificial intelligence to tailor safety instructions to specific destinations, enhancing passenger engagement with localized themes.
These developments highlight ongoing innovations in aviation, from record-breaking long-haul flights to urban air mobility and creative passenger communication strategies.
