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After 10,000 miles and 19 hours, world's longest flight lands in Sydney

Only 50 passengers were on board the flight, which is being used to test the viability of regular ultra-long-haul flights.

Sunday 20 October 2019 11:52, UK

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 19: Passengers exercise on board QF7879 from New York to Sydney on October 19, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Qantas is the first commercial airline to ever fly direct from New York to Sydney. The flight was restricted to 40 people plus 10 crew to increase aircraft range, and included medical scientists and health experts on board to conduct studies in the cockpit and the cabin to help determine strategies to promote long haul inflight health and wellbeing on ultra-long haul flights. It comes as the national carrier continues to work towards the final frontier of global aviation by launching non-stop commercial flights between the US and the UK to the east coast of Australia in an ambitious project dubbed "Project Sunrise". (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Qantas)
Image: Passengers exercised several times on the flight
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The world's longest flight has successfully been tested - with 50 passengers and crew travelling non-stop for nearly 20 hours from New York to Sydney.

Qantas Flight 7879 travelled 16,200km (10,066 miles) in 19 hours and 16 minutes - touching down in Australia early on Sunday morning with fuel to spare.

The journey on a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was an experiment to see how ultra-long-haul travel affects those on board.

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 18: The flight crew and cabin crew of QF7879 from New York to Sydney on October 18, 2019 in New York, NY. Qantas is the first commercial airline to ever fly direct from New York to Sydney. The flight was restricted to 40 people plus 10 crew to increase aircraft range, and included medical scientists and health experts on board to conduct studies in the cockpit and the cabin to help determine strategies to promote long haul inflight health and wellbeing on ultra-long haul flights. It comes as the national carrier continues to work towards the final frontier of global aviation by launching non-stop commercial flights between the US and the UK to the east coast of Australia in an ambitious project dubbed "Project Sunrise". (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Qantas)
Image: Only a handful of people travelled on the 19-hour flight

It currently is not possible for commercial aircraft to fly such a distance with a full load of passengers and cargo.

To ensure the plane could go the distance, the flight had maximum fuel, a restricted baggage load and no cargo.

A team of researchers was deployed to monitor lighting and activity - as well as the sleep patterns and consumption levels of passengers.

They also kept a close eye on crew melatonin levels and tracked the brain patterns of pilots during the flight.

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 20: Qantas flight 7879 lands at Sydney Airport after flying 19 hours and 16 minutes from New York to Sydney on October 20, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Qantas is the first commercial airline to ever fly direct from New York to Sydney. The flight was restricted to 40 people plus 10 crew to increase aircraft range, and included medical scientists and health experts on board to conduct studies in the cockpit and the cabin to help determine strategies to promote long haul inflight health and wellbeing on ultra-long haul flights. It comes as the national carrier continues to work towards the final frontier of global aviation by launching non-stop commercial flights between the US and the UK to the east coast of Australia in an ambitious project dubbed "Project Sunrise". (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Qantas)
Image: The flight touched down in Sydney after flying more than 10,000 miles

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who was on the flight, said after landing: "This is a really historic moment for Qantas, a really historic moment for Australian aviation and a really historic moment for world aviation.

"We know ultra-long-haul flights pose some extra challenges but that's been true every time technology has allowed us to fly further. The research we're doing should give us better strategies for improving comfort and wellbeing along the way."

Australia's national airline says it is aiming to increase health and wellness on board, minimise jet lag and work out the optimum crew work pattern.

The flight path of the world's longest direct flight. Pic: Flight Radar
Image: The flight path of the world's longest direct flight. Pic: Flight Radar

After landing, the captain of the flight, Sean Golding said: "The flight was very successful from two components - the first one was research.

"And also the feat of distance - that flight last night was 16,200 kilometres. We were airborne for 19 hours and 16 minutes, and we landed here in Sydney with a comfortable 70 minutes of fuel."

Patrick Hatch, a Sydney Morning Herald reporter travelled on the flight said passengers were taking part in exercise sessions and even dancing to the Macarena in an effort to maintain circulation while on the aircraft.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 19: Passengers exercise on board QF7879 from New York to Sydney on October 19, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Qantas is the first commercial airline to ever fly direct from New York to Sydney. The flight was restricted to 40 people plus 10 crew to increase aircraft range, and included medical scientists and health experts on board to conduct studies in the cockpit and the cabin to help determine strategies to promote long haul inflight health and wellbeing on ultra-long haul flights. It comes as the national carrier continues to work towards the final frontier of global aviation by launching non-stop commercial flights between the US and the UK to the east coast of Australia in an ambitious project dubbed "Project Sunrise". (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Qantas)
Image: Researchers were examining how to combat jet lag

Mr Hatch added that the flight was three hours quicker than the normal journey time, and that people around him felt "pretty good" as they landed in Sydney.

Eventually, the company wants to run regular flights from Australia's east coast to New York and London, and will make a decision at the end of the year about the viability of the services after more test flights.

Qantas already held the record for the world's longest commercial flight, and offers a full scheduled service on its direct flights between London Heathrow and Perth on Australia's west coast - a journey which takes more than 17 hours.

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