Airbus A350-1000ULR Breaks Guinness Record for Longest Commercial Flight
Airbus has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest nonstop commercial flight, with an A350-1000ULR covering 23,155 kilometers from Melbourne to Toulouse in 24 hours and 24 minutes, surpassing a Boeing record set in 2005.
Airbus has officially broken the Guinness World Record for the longest nonstop flight by a commercial passenger aircraft. The company's A350-1000ULR aircraft covered 23,155 kilometers in 24 hours and 24 minutes, surpassing a record held by Boeing for over two decades. The official announcement coincided with the 21st anniversary of the historic Boeing flight from Hong Kong on November 9, 2005.
The Record-Breaking Route and Crew
The record-setting flight, which took place in July, recently received official certification after independent verification by Guinness World Records, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), and Flightradar24. The certified distance was 79 kilometers longer than Airbus's initial estimate of 23,076 kilometers. Operating with serial number MSN707 and registration F-WULR, the aircraft carried a crew of 13 people, including three Airbus test pilots, two Qantas pilots, engineers, and an FAI representative.
Departing from Melbourne as flight AIB35LR at 17:27 local time, the aircraft flew eastward instead of the traditional western route to Europe. It crossed over Sydney, the Pacific Ocean toward Los Angeles, North America, the Atlantic Ocean, and past London before landing at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport at 09:51 the following day. The journey spanned three continents and two oceans, allowing passengers to witness two sunsets and two sunrises.
Boeing's Previous Record and Future Outlook
To capture the title from Boeing, Airbus had to eclipse the journey of 'Worldliner 2,' a 777-200LR demonstration aircraft piloted by Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann on November 9, 2005. That flight covered 21,601 kilometers from Hong Kong to London Heathrow in 22 hours and 42 minutes. While Boeing utilized GE90 engines, the Airbus A350-1000ULR is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and features advanced composite materials and aerodynamics.
Qantas expects to receive its first A350-1000ULR in April 2027, paving the way for nonstop service from Sydney to London in October 2027, followed by a Sydney to New York route in mid-2028. Qantas has ordered 12 such aircraft, configured with 238 seats to eliminate layovers and boost annual profits by approximately 400 million Australian dollars.
