Can we Cope with ULTRA-LONG-HAUL FLIGHTS?

With aircraft technology now allowing for airlines to offer ‘Ultra Long-Haul’ flights, the question now is, can we actually cope with being in the sky for that long! The idea of 13 hours in the sky was daunting enough, but now just over 19hours is all it will take to go direct from Sydney to London.

We have got used to stopovers in cities around the world as a welcome break from spending hours in the sky getting from A to B.

Qantas plans to operate the world's longest-duration commercial flight by the end of 2025;

Sydney to London in 19 hours. However, flying such a long way presents a variety of challenges including the capability of planes, the commercial viability, as well as the health of both crew and passengers.

Maximising your business trip with a non-stop flight may be seen as convenient, but others may think it is just too long to even think of.

As we have seen recently, travel is full of uncertainty and added stresses from the moment you get to the airport. Add into that getting on a plane with hundreds of strangers for 19 hours with no escape can really make the anxiety levels rise.

Your mental health related to ultra-long-haul flights and the anxiety levels associated with the length of time in the air can present as a fear of flying - aerophobia.

There are two groups of people who have fear of flying; those who have existing agoraphobia (the fear of enclosed, crowded spaces) and those who fear the plane will crash.

Our physical health is also affected when flying, especially if we travel through many time zones. This causes ‘Jet lag’.

Jet lag occurs if you travel crosses 2 or more time zones. It puts your internal clock out of sync and tends to alter your sleeping pattern, memory and concentration.

Research has shown that for every hour of time difference, a person requires a day to adjust. On the return journey the jet lag affect is made worse as you travel over the time zones in a short amount of time, thus making the sleep rhythm even worse!

To limit the negative effects, when you arrive in the new time zone, switch into that local time and go to sleep as a local. Go outside into daylight, even if your body feels like its 3am, so it helps your body adjust more quickly.

While on the plane, the oxygen levels are the same as on the ground, however, at high altitude, the change in air pressure affects how oxygen is absorbed in the blood. If you are healthy then we can cope easily,

We are all aware of the need to move our bodies while flying to prevent blood clots etc, but on ultra-long flights the need is even greater. Airlines offering such long journeys are aware that the health and safety of passengers is paramount and have incorporated into the layout of the planes, more spacious seating as well as a ‘wellbeing zone’, so passengers can stretch their legs and move about.

The rules of staying healthy while flying are well known and for these new flights just need to be implemented further to ensure no risk to passengers of crew is experienced.

Currently, the longest direct flight is with Singapore Airlines, flying from Singapore to New York in 18hrs 40min. Qantas flies from Darwin in Northern Australia to London in 17hrs 55min. Singapore Airlines flies from Los Angeles to Singapore in 17hrs 10mins.

There are two new proposed routes; Qantas flying from Sydney to London in 19 hours. If successful by 2025, it will be the world's longest-duration commercial flight. Cathay Pacific is also planning a route to fly passengers from Hong Kong to New York direct in 16-17hrs.

For the time being, the question is, how will long-haul flights continue after the knock on effects of the health crisis, with the changes in the travel industry, and with aviation, and major European airlines reducing their larger aircraft. This change was being seen before 2020 with Air France-KLM, deciding to reduce their long-haul flights by 50%, while Lufthansa had sold its 6 A380 aircraft in 2019. We are in a time of a lot of changes both in life and in the travel and tourism industry, but is clear that the aviation industry has made huge advances in the last 30 years and more changes and advances are for sure to come.