REUTERS/Louis Nastro
- United just set the record for the longest nonstop flight from the United States.
- The flight goes from Los Angeles to Singapore, spans 8,700 miles, and lasts over 17 hours.
- It beats Qantas' previous record of 8,575 miles from Dallas to Sydney.
United has had a difficult year, drawing controversy for its treatment of passengers and their pets. In response, the airline announced new initiatives to improve its customer service.
Now, United has broken the record for the longest nonstop flight from the United States, which clocks in at over 17 hours and 8,700 miles, according to Forbes. The flight goes from Los Angeles to Singapore, besting the previous record-Australian airline Qantas' 8,575 mile trip from Dallas to Sydney.
The debut flight occurred on October 29, and the route will be flown once each day on a Boeing 787-9 that can seat 252 passengers. While the LA-to-Singapore leg will take around 17 hours and 55 minutes, the return flight is over two hours shorter, at 15 hours and 15 minutes.
Until 2013, the route was served nonstop by Singapore Airlines, but it halted service after taking its four-engine Airbus A340-500s out of commission. The airline plans to reintroduce nonstop routes to both Los Angeles and New York in 2018 after introducing its A350-900ULR, which will have 162 seats.
United and Singapore Airlines still operate an 8,450-mile nonstop flight from San Francisco to Singapore.