QATAR Airways has launched its first service to Auckland, New Zealand with the return leg set to be the longest scheduled commercial flight by flying time.

    Flight QR920 departed Doha’s Hamed International Airport and arrived in Auckland yesterday at 7:15 a.m. local time, about 15 minutes early, Qatar Airways said.

    The Boeing 777 flight took 15 hours and 50 minutes, passing over 10 time zones, five countries and traveling 14,535 kilometers before reaching Auckland.

    But even that flying time may be looked on jealously by passengers on the return flight which, due to high-altitude winds, was expected to take 17 hours and 30 minutes, according to Qatar Airways’ company website.

    This would make it the world’s longest passenger service in terms of flying time, according to tracking website flightradar 24.

    Improvements in technology over the last decade have allowed more efficient fuel use, encouraging longer international flights.

    There were four pilots and 15 crew on the plane for Sunday’s flight. The number of passengers was not available.

    The previous record for the world’s longest scheduled flight by flying time was held by fellow Gulf carrier Emirates, which launched direct flights to Auckland from Dubai in March 2016.

    (SD-Agencies)