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10 Longest Non-Stop Flights In The World!

AirWhizzOct 29, 2018 No Comments

10 Longest Non-Stop Flights In The World!

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Each year, airlines are pushing boundaries when it comes to how far and how long we can stay in the air.

In a bid to connect us to this global village called earth, airlines have started operating to far and offbeat places to help us discover new destinations.

Earlier this month, Singapore Airlines relaunched the world’s longest non-stop flight which got us wondering which are the world’s longest non-stop flights.

Well, we did some digging and found out which are the top 10 longest non -stop flights in the world

10.Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles (Etihad Airways)

Scheduled flight time: 16 hours, 30 minutes
Flight number: EY 171
Distance: 8,390 miles

Etihad has many non-stop flights flying from the United Arab Emirates to the United States, however, this one takes the longest amount of time.

This 8,390-mile flight clocks in at 16.5 hours long, but that time will go by in a snap if you’re travelling in Etihad’s sweet first-class cabins.

9.San Francisco to Singapore (United/Singapore Airlines)

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 5 minutes/16 hours, 40 minutes
Flight number: UA 1/SQ 31
Distance: 8,446 miles

Singapore Airlines is one of the 8 airlines in the world to get a 5-star rating, thanks to its impeccable service and award-winning in-flight entertainment. It will be a breeze for you to cover this  16 hours and 40 minute journey from San Francisco, California to  Singapore with this airline.

On the other hand, United, an American Airline also makes the trip from San Francisco to Singapore. The only difference is that they add an additional 25 minutes to the trip, bringing it up to 17 hours and 5 minutes.

And the best part about this journey, you get to visit the best airport in the world for the past 6 consecutive years, The Singapore Changi Airport.

8.Manila To New York (Philippine Airlines)

Scheduled flight time: 15 Hours
Flight number: PR 126
Distance: 8,519 miles

The gorgeous Southeast Asian city of Manila is 8,519 miles away from New York, making it one of the farthest non-stop flights, distance-wise. But time-wise, the 15 hour flight is on the shorter end (if you can call 15 hours short).

Because Philippine Airlines only recently earned four stars, their flights run cheaper than some of the others on this list.

You can expect to pay around $1,000 for a round-trip flight from Manila, the capital of the Philippines, to New York.

8.Sydney To Dallas (Qantas)

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 15 minutes
Flight number: QF 8
Distance: 8,578 miles

Australia is pretty far from many places. But its travel-hungry people are eager to get out and explore the world because being from a giant island in the middle of the ocean, it’s hard to get around.

The way North Americans dream of backpacking through Europe, Australians dream of backpacking across North America, visiting as many states as possible.

That’s why a direct flight from Sydney to Dallas makes so much sense.

6.Houston To Sydney (United Airlines)

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 30 minutes
Flight number: UA 101
Distance: 8,596 miles

When it comes to flying long distances within a budget, United Airlines is one of the best.

Normally when you’re flying with a low-cost airline internationally, you’re limited to flights with countless stopovers, long wait times at airports, and the horrible luggage pickup and check-in between airplanes, among other hellish airport rituals.

However, this flight only has one stopover, that to at Singapore Changi Airport.

5.Los Angeles To Singapore(United Airlines)

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 50 minutes
Flight number: UA 37
Distance: 8,770 miles

The 8,770-mile flight is United Airline’s longest flight route.

In about $700 you can fly from the sunshine state of Los Angeles, California to the spectacular city of Singapore.

Just make sure you bring snacks, drink water, and pack a book because it’s going to be a long hard day of travel.

Read more about “10 Travel Essentials To Bring On a Long Haul Flight”

4.Dubai To Auckland (Emirates)

Scheduled Flight Time: 17 hours 5 minutes
Flight number: EK 449
Distance: 8,824 miles

It’s never easy to fly to New Zealand, a thrill-seeker’s paradise near Australia.

It’s also never easy to fly for an extended period of time. So, a 17 hour and 5 minute flight to Auckland, New Zealand won’t be a walk in the park, by any measure.

Luckily Emirates is an airline designed to help you pass the time, winning the Skytrax award for best entertainment year after year.

Those 14,200 kilometres may drag on, but at least you’ll be able to cross off a few movies from your must-watch list.

3.London To Perth (Qantas)

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 20 minutes
Flight number: QF 9
Distance: 9,010 miles

It’s always easier to fly direct. You don’t have to worry about changing planes, waiting around in airports, and possibly missing your connecting flight.

But if your direct flight is upwards of sixteen hours, maybe that stop-over in between flights would be a welcome break.

However, it is now possible to fly directly between Australia and the UK, thanks to Qantas launching their Perth to London flight in  early 2018.

2.Auckland To Doha (Qatar)

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 40 minutes
Flight number: QR 921
Distance: 9,032 miles

The flight from Auckland, New Zealand to Doha, Qatar was once the longest non-stop flight, both in terms of distance (covering 14,536 kilometres) and time (18 hours and five minutes).

If you’re gearing up to make the trip, you better be prepared. And we aren’t talking about bringing a crossword. Get ready to hydrate yourself regularly and to get up and stretch those tired legs every now and then.

18 hours in the air is no joke on your body and mind. However, Qatar Airways does everything they can to keep you from going insane, including giving you ice cream (along with other meals and drinks).

1.Singapore To New York (Singapore Airlines)

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 50 minutes
Flight Number: SQ 22
Distance: 9,540 miles

The airline is one of the best in the world, and its main airport hub, Changi International Airport, has been named #1 for more than five years.

Singapore Airlines previously flew this route with their Airbus A340-500 aircraft with a scheduled flight time of 18 hours, 50 minutes. However, the route was discontinued in 2013 due to rising fuel costs.

To solidify their place as innovators, Singapore Airlines Relaunched Its Singapore To New York flight in October of 2018.

The competition for top spot on the World’s Longest Flight list won’t be ending any time soon. The only question is, how will the airlines choose to get there?

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Soon Assistants Will Help You Sail Through The Airport!

AirWhizzOct 29, 2018 No Comments

Soon Assistants Will Help You Sail Through The Airport!

Aviation Insider

Air travellers in India will soon be able to avail airport service packages in which they can hire assistants to help them complete their airport journey.

These assistants will help passengers complete check-in formalities, speed them through security check and immigration, wait for their flight with them at airline lounges, and take to the boarding gate in a golf cart, even if they are travelling economy class.

Government officials have said that the Union civil aviation ministry is set to approve this new ‘meet and greet’ plan, under which airports across the country will hire a company for helping passengers, for a price that entitles them to these additional services.

Departing passengers will be received in the parking area and will be provided with assistance at every point till they board the plane. Similarly, those arriving will be received at the aerobridge.

Currently, there is no procedure to issue an airport entry pass to an outside person to facilitate passengers. Commercial entities, mostly hotels, are given commercial passes, but even then, they are allowed to receive passengers only from the Customs area. This proposal is to give all-area passes to employees of the ‘meet and greet’ company.

Only one company per airport will be given a license for the service, and the airport operator will have to set its own rates. The average cost is expected to be Rs 5000.

The porter service will continue, so will the wheelchair service provided by airlines for old or physically challenged. Many passengers opt for the wheelchair to avoid walking at long terminals. Those who can afford it will now be able to pay and use these add-on services

This service will not compromise security since the background of the employees hired by the company will be thoroughly checked.

This service will be helpful for those passengers who are old, first-time flyers or differently abled and are traveling alone.

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Bangalore Airport All Set To Add New Flight Routes This Winter!

AirWhizzOct 27, 2018 No Comments

Bangalore Airport All Set To Add New Flight Routes This Winter!

Aviation Insider

There is some good news for people flying from Bangalore Airport!

Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), operated by Bangalore International Airport Ltd(BIAL), will expand its flight connections with the launch of new domestic and international routes plus the addition of two airlines in the winter schedule, beginning from today. The five-month schedule will be in effect till March 30, 2019.

Budget carriers IndiGo and GoAir along with Air India will launch additional flights from Bangalore to eight international destinations.

Here are all the details about it:

  • IndiGo will operate daily flights to Male, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Kathmandu internationally and to Udaipur and Prayagraj (Allahabad) domestically
  • Air India is set to commence services to Bangkok and London from the Bangalore airport
  • GoAir, which commenced its international operations this month, will also connect Bangalore with Phuket in Thailand during the winter schedule
  • Air India Express will launch a round-trip flight to Singapore from Bengaluru, flying four times a week, from October 29
  • SpiceJet has plans to connect Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Udaipur with the city
  • Jet Airways will operate flight services from Bengaluru to Aizawl through Guwahati
  • Air India’s regional arm, Alliance Air, will fly to Kolhapur from KIA during the winters
  • The new Airlines set to make their Bangalore debuts are Turkish Cargo and Air India Express

Airlines’ winter schedule in India this year will commence from Saturday mid-night and will go on till March 30 next year.

With this, Bangalore will now connect to 82 destinations (53 domestic and 29 international). BIAL expects Bangalore airport to achieve about 744 aircraft movements per day (659 domestic, 85 international) at the start of winter this year.

It has also said that international flight movements will go up by 17 % while domestic flight movements will grow by 10 %.

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10 Surprisingly Cool Airport Attractions Around The World!

AirWhizzOct 26, 2018 No Comments

10 Surprisingly Cool Airport Attractions Around The World!

Travel Like a Pro

Airports can sometimes be a boring place.

At many of them, the most exciting thing can be looking at airplanes flying through the big terminal windows.

But a few airports want passengers to have an exciting experience by offering fascinating, fun, or relaxing amenities.

Museums, thrill rides, dental surgeries and swimming pools are just some of the attractions you’ll find at the world’s busiest airports.

To give you more insight into how airports are making air travel unique, here are 10 super cool airport attractions that will make you wish your flight gets delayed.

1.Four Story Indoor Slide, Changi International Airport, Singapore

Getting around the world’s best airport is pretty easy, thanks to a 12 meter tall, steel tube slide, known as “Slide@T3”.

It is spread vertically across the 4 stories of the airport’s terminal 3 and you can slide down and check out the many other airport attractions on each floor like the fantastic shopping options, restaurants, cactus garden or the movie theatre.

The best part about this slide that it is suitable for both kids and adults.So go ahead and take a trip down the memory lane while you slide away at Changi Airport.

2.Beer Garden, Munich Airport, Germany

You can experience the Bavarian culture while sitting at the famous beer garden at the Munich Airport.

But this is no ordinary beer garden, it’s Europe’s largest roofed-in beer garden, complete with traditionally dressed waitresses and authentic German food including pork knuckles and beef goulash.

So enjoy the German way of life while you sit on your wooden tables , sipping on some freshly brewed beer while listening to some local live music.

You can even pre-book and reserve a table if you’re planning to transit through Munich Airport.

3.An Aquarium, Vancouver International Airport

If you’re flying to Vancouver, make sure you check out the airport’s enormous 114,000 litre aquarium, which contains a number of species native to Canada’s coastline.

These include rainbow-hued starfish, crimson anemones, wolf eels, jellyfish and giant kelp. In fact, its home to one of the rarest of Jellyfish species, the Pacific sea nettle jellyfish.

This  15cm thick and 5.2m deep beautiful aquarium is located in the international terminal of the airport.

4. Behind The Scenes Tour, Zurich International Airport

At Zurich Airport, you’re invited to take a sneak peak behind how exactly an airport functions.

“Airport Tours” offer a memorable way to see what it takes to move more than 2 million passengers a month.

Hop a bus on a sightseeing tour to see the runways, hangars, cargo areas, and even a nature conservation area between runways. You’ll also get a close-up of airplanes landing and taking off.

Additional guided tours take visitors through the check-in process and on a tour of the aircraft parking areas.

5.Live Concerts, John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York

Since its debut in 2009, JetBlue’s free “Live From T5” concert series has welcomed acts including Taylor Swift, Sarah McLachlan, and The Wanted.

Performances take place post-security at JetBlue’s terminal at JFK Airport and are exclusively for JetBlue passengers and contest winners.

A concert before take-off is a pretty good reason to hope for a flight delay!

6.“ Jaya He” Art Museum, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai

If you have travelled to the Terminal 2 of Mumbai airport, you must have come across the beautiful paintings and sculptures that are displayed at the ‘Jaya He’ Museum.

The museum has won many awards and is the largest airport museum art project in the world with more than 6,000 artworks.

The Jaya He museum spreads across 4 levels of the Terminal 2 and  displays Indian culture through beautiful paintings, arts & crafts and sculptures.

7.Full Size Dinosaur Skeleton, Chicago O’Hare International Airport

If you visit Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, you will come across a 72 foot long fibreglass dinosaur skeleton.

It’s a replica of the Brachiosaurus dinosaur skeleton excavated in 1900 by palaeontologist Elmer Riggs, who was working in Chicago’s Field Museum at the time.

For years its home was the entrance hall of the Field Museum of Natural History but was donated to the airport in 1999.

8.Ice Skating, Seoul Incheon Airport, South Korea

Apart from a 18 hole golf course, movie theatre and a casino , Incheon’s most unique airport amenity is the all season ice skating rink.

Lace up your white boots at the “Ice Forest” ice skating rink, ideal for kids, families, couples and anyone just looking to have some fun.

It is located in Terminal B1, and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

9.Nap Rooms, Heathrow Airport, London

Airports have started proving napping pods and sleeping couches for weary passengers, but the Napping Rooms at London’s Heathrow airport are quite unique.

Located before the security checkpoint in Terminal 4, Yotel offers “cabins” complete with in suite bathrooms and comfy beds from £25 (about Rs 2400) for four hours of blissful sleep.

Post-security in Terminal 3, you’ll find twin and single in suite napping rooms with showers.

10.Wave Pool, Munich Airport

Between Terminal 1 & Terminal 2 of the Munich Airport, lays a giant pool that produces the world’s biggest stationary wave.

And the best part, It’s completely FREE !

Plus you don’t need to get your own gear. Complimentary loaner boards, helmets and wetsuits will be provided and surf instructors will be on duty offering encouragement and surfing tips.

Each year about 4,000 guests, locals and passengers alike, go for the wave , with plenty of spectators hanging out in deck chairs and at the makeshift beach bar near the pool.

So, the next time you happen to travel to one of these airports, spare some time to explore the spot by using the AirWhizz App. Get all the information about things to do and places to visit at the airport along with airline information and real-time flight updates on the move.

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Cathay Pacific Airways Has Suffered The Biggest Airline Data Breach Ever!

AirWhizzOct 26, 2018 No Comments

Cathay Pacific Airways Has Suffered The Biggest Airline Data Breach Ever!

Aviation Insider

Hong Kong based, Cathay Pacific Airways has become the target of the world’s biggest airline data breach after a hacker accessed credit card, passport and personal details of around 9.4 million customers.

The airline came to know about this breach while conducting online security processes. But, they reported this incident on Thursday, almost 7 months after the hack was done.

While passports, addresses and emails were exposed, flight safety wasn’t compromised and there was no evidence that information has been misused, however, there are still no details revealing the origin of the attack.

Cathay Pacific has said the data stolen included names, nationalities, birth dates, phone numbers, addresses, passport, identity card numbers and expired credit card numbers, among other information & said no passwords were compromised. They have been contacting customers to advise them on how to protect themselves.

Cathay’s CEO, Mr. Rupert Hogg has released an apology statement saying that they are sorry for any inconvenience that may be caused due to this data breach. The statement also said that the airline acted immediately to contain the event, commence a thorough investigation with the assistance of a leading cybersecurity firm, and further strengthened their  IT security measures.

Hong Kong’s privacy commissioner expressed serious concern over the leak and said the office will initiate a compliance check with the airline. A dedicated website, infosecurity.cathaypacific.com, provides information about the event and what affected passengers should do next.

Some local lawmakers criticized Cathay for taking seven months to reveal the breach. Lam Cheuk-ting, a member of the Legislative Council’s security committee, told reporters that many people in Hong Kong are angry and the airline should’ve taken the initiative the very first day it found out.

Cathay’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Mr.Paul Loo said the airline wanted to have an accurate grasp of the situation and didn’t wish to “create unnecessary panic”.

Impacting more people than the population of Cathay Pacific’s home base of Hong Kong, the hack is in another league as compared to breaches reported by British Airways and Delta Air Lines Inc. this year.

Upon the release of this news, the shares of Cathay Pacific plummeted by almost 6.8 %, causing the airline’s market value to drop by $361 million.

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India To Become The 3rd Largest Aviation Hub By 2024!

AirWhizzOct 25, 2018 No Comments

India To Become The 3rd Largest Aviation Hub By 2024!

Aviation Insider

India, which is currently the 7th largest aviation market in the world, is all set to become the 3rd largest aviation market by 2024.

International Air Transportation Association (IATA), a global airlines trade body, has forecasted this based on its 20-year-old air passenger data.

According to them, by 2037, India will account for 414 million passengers out of the 572 new air travellers around the world.

According to the report released by IATA, the Asia-Pacific region will drive the biggest growth in the aviation industry, with more than half of the number of new passengers in the next 20 years.

Here is a quick overview of the forecasts from the report:

  • China will displace the USA as the world’s largest aviation market in the mid 2020’s
  • India will take the 3rd place, after the US by 20204, surpassing the UK
  • Indonesia is expected to go from 10th place (in 2017) to 4th place by 2030
  • Thailand is expected to enter the tenth spot in 2030, replacing Italy
  • There is a geographical reshuffling of world air traffic to the East
  • In the next 20 years, there will be a 3.5 % annual growth in air traffic, which will double the air passenger numbers
  • Approximately, 100 million jobs will be created by the industry

However, IATA has warned governments to stop control over aviation regulations and policies (protectionist measures) if they want to see the growth of the industry and enjoy economic benefits driven by aviation.

 

 

 

 

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You Can Now Take A Direct Flight To Singapore From Guwahati!

AirWhizzOct 24, 2018 No Comments

You Can Now Take A Direct Flight To Singapore From Guwahati!

Aviation Insider

Changi Airport in Singapore has announced the launch of its 16th city link to India with the introduction of a new non-stop service between Guwahati and Singapore.

This new route marks the first direct connection between the Northeast and Singapore.

Druk Air, also known as the Royal Bhutan Airlines, has already started to operate two weekly flights from 29th September.

The introduction of this new service is expected to reduce travel time from almost 10 hours, including transfers, to 4 and a half hours.

Lim Ching Kiat, the Managing Director of Air Hub Development, Changi Airport Group, released a statement on Tuesday saying that they are pleased to launch the first non-stop service between Northeast India and Singapore with Druk Air.

He also went on to say that India is the third largest tourism source market for Singapore and one of Changi Airport’s key growth markets. The new link is expected to strengthen not only cultural and socio-political ties between the countries but also facilitate opportunities to enhance travel and trade practices.

Travellers from the Northeast can now tap into to expensive network of Changi airport which includes destinations in Asia such as Australia, China, Indonesia and Japan.

Last month, IndiGo Airlines launched direct flights from Calcutta and Tiruchirapalli to Singapore. Air India Express will also launch additional four-times-a-week services from Bangalore, starting from October 29.

India is Changi’s sixth largest market, registering more than 4.5 million passenger movements in the past 12 months, growing at 14% every year.

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TRAVEL ALERT: Mumbai Airport To Remain Shut For 6 Hours Today!

AirWhizzOct 23, 2018 No Comments

TRAVEL ALERT: Mumbai Airport To Remain Shut For 6 Hours Today!

Aviation Insider

Are you flying in and out of Mumbai today (Tuesday, 23rd October 2018)?

If yes, then brace yourself for flight delays as both the main and the secondary runways of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will remain shut for operations for six hours, i.e. from 11 am to 5 pm, for repair and maintenance work.

The runways of the Mumbai airport will undergo maintenance and repair in two phases between October and February-March period.

During the shutdown period, around 300 flights will be affected per day. Flights which are scheduled to either take off or arrive between 5 pm and 8 pm are likely to be the worst hit.

National carrier, Air India tweeted about this situation asking passengers to visit the website/app and to contact the call center for details on rescheduled and cancelled flights.

Budget airline, GoAir, also tweeted about the same. The flights of other carriers are also expected to be hit in a big way.

On 4Th October, Mumbai International Airport Limited(MIAL) had released a statement saying that due to the maintenance work, both the runways 09/27 and 14/32 will remain shut for operations between 11 am and 5 pm on October 23.

They have also said that in the second phase, the maintenance and repair work on the intersection will be carried out between February 7 and March 30 (except on March 21) from 11 am to 5 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The primary runway of the airport has a capacity of 50 flight movements an hour against the declared capacity of 46, while the secondary one runway can handle up to 35 arrivals and departures in an hour. On an average, the airport handles around 1,000 flights a day.

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