The longest passenger flight in the world to avoid Russian sky

(Bloomberg) — Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. plans to divert its service between New York and Hong Kong to avoid Russian airspace, on what would be the longest commercial passenger flight in the world in terms of distance.

The airline plans to take off from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to fly over the Atlantic Ocean, the United Kingdom, Southern Europe and Central Asia, according to a memo sent to Cathay flight personnel to which Bloomberg News had access. The distance of 16,618 kilometers would exceed the service to New York of Singapore Airlines Ltd., which takes about 17 and a half hours to cover 15,349 kilometers, according to data from FlightRadar24. Cathay's new flight will take around 17 hours.

A Cathay spokeswoman said Airbus SE's A350-1000 aircraft is capable of operating the route, which would normally fly over the Arctic and cross Russian airspace. Many Asian airlines are avoiding Russia because of the conflict in Ukraine.

Cathay applied for overflight permits to operate the service, which she said is normal for a new route. Before the pandemic, which has drastically reduced its itineraries, the airline operated up to three daily round-trips between Hong Kong and JFK airport.

Several airlines have altered their routes to avoid Russia's skies, mainly between Asia and Europe. Japan Airlines Co Ltd redirected its service from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to London's Heathrow Terminal to cross Alaska and Canada instead of flying over Siberia. That added four and a half hours to the 11-hour, 55-minute journey.

These flight modifications are likely to be only temporary given the costs faced by airlines due to high oil prices, as well as uncertainty about the accessibility of Russian airspace.

Original Note:

World's Longest Passenger Flight Planned to Avoid Russian Skies

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