After launching the world's longest non-stop flight by distance between Dubai and Auckland Wednesday, Emirates announced it would be postponing the launch of another flight route that would have beaten its own record.
The Emirati airline launched the milestone non-stop Dubai to Auckland route on March 2. The inaugural flight landed in Dubai on March 3, covering a distance of about 14,200 kilometers in 16 hours and 24 minutes.
“This is an important development for our customers, for Emirates, and for New Zealand. We anticipate high demand for the route, providing a further boost to inbound tourist traffic into New Zealand that now exceeds three million a year," said Emirates Group president Gary Chapman, according to the airline's press release .
"We also expect the service to be popular with New Zealanders seeking faster connections to Europe and the Middle East," he added.
When the Airbus A380 made it back home however, the airline had announced the delay of its even longer route between Dubai and Panama City. The flight is estimated to take 17 hours and 35 minutes, which will make it the world's longest flight by duration.
The route, which will be the airline's first destination in Central America, was initially scheduled to launch in February but was then postponed to late March. It is now set for late 2016 or early 2017.
"We firmly believe in the potential of Central America, and remain keen to link the Emirates network to the region," an Emirates spokesperson said in a statement released in Panama.
"The decision was made after an extensive review of all operational factors, including fleet utilization and commercial demand from key markets against the global economic outlook."
The statement added that Emirates' staff will remain in Panama City to continue developing the airline's presence in the region and commercial opportunities with its industry partners.
Emirates isn't the only Middle Eastern aviation giant planning the launch of ultra-long-haul flights across the globe, as Qatar Airways will soon launch record-breaking flight routes as well.
The Qatari airline announced in late January the launch of a non-stop route between Doha and Auckland, which will beat both of Emirates' new routes for the title of the world's longest non-stop flight by duration and the world's longest non-stop flight by distance.
Qatar's Doha to Auckland route is estimated to cover about 14,500 kilometers in about 18 hours and 34 minutes. As part of its 2016 expansion plans, the airline is also set to launch flights to several other destinations, including Morocco and Portugal.
