Air Tahiti Nui Aircraft Flies 9,765 Miles In 16 Hours

An Air Tahiti Nui Dreamliner made an epic flight from Tahiti in French Polynesia to Paris on March 14th, breaking the record for the world's longest airline flight.

But it wasn't really on purpose. The flight was the result of travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. on foreign nationals.

Tahiti is territory of mainland France. CNN Travel reports that the flight would have normally had a layover in Los Angeles, CA. But the travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic forced the plane to make the trip non-stop. So the Dreamliner, which was reportedly lightly loaded, made the trip of 9,765 miles on one tank of gas.

The airplane was airborne for just under 16 hours, according to the report, making it the world's longest commercial airline flight in terms of distance traveled.

But airline officials say that it was the light load that made the trip possible, and the direct flight would not become part of their regular schedule. An Air Tahiti Nui spokesperson told CNN Travel that the flight "was operated on an exceptional basis and within the constraints imposed by the American authorities in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic.”

The previous record-holder was Singapore Airlines, which offers regular passenger service between Singapore and Newark, NJ, a distance of 9,534 miles.

(Image from file. Not cited airplane)

FMI: Source report