What It's Like To Test The World's Longest Flight

Transportation reporter David Slotnick flew on a nearly 20-hour flight from New York City to Sydney. The Qantas Airways route was a test to see how the world's longest flights affect the human body. David was one of just 40 passengers on board to participate in the first experimental flight.

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What It's Like To Test The World's Longest Flight

[hylianhero]

“It wasn’t as hard on my body as I thought it would be”
You chilled in a nice, quiet empty space, gorging on 5-star meals and then you slept for 8 hours!? Like how is this a valuable test in any capacity???

[jackag]

Is this a joke?

He's in an empty plane, in business class, eating good food, sleeping in a bed for 8 hours?

[calvincanada]

Chilling on a plane with just 49 other people actually seems kind of fun. It seems like it could create some unstoppable friendships, especially with the dancing and being able to move around.

[AgaKirchner]

My longest flight so far was 17 hours 10 minutes (LA - Singapore) and the plane was totally full, I was in economy class with my husband, two small kids and pregnant being 6'1'' tall so fitting in the seat, sleeping and having space for legs was, well, kinda difficult. Honestly though, it was easier than I thought it would be although if I had conditions like what I see in the video, I could take this flight more often whereas for now I want to wait like a year or more before I do it again haha

[NateOBrien]

“Let’s just run the test for business class” wonderful idea

[tinydough]

Real test:
-Economy seat, 19 hours
-0 leg room
-baby crying in the back/front
-kid kicking back of your seat
-the person who keeps the window opened on a bright ass day

[ashishkulkarni]

They should have checked for full coach class. Its impossible to even move your elbows, forget the sleep... I think they should start all business class flight for this route.

[azul]

Jet Lag is the least of my worries when flying long hours in coach... It's literally inhumane how many people airlines fit into one plane, giving you no room to even sit straight!! I'm short and still it hurts a lot, taller people can't even sit normally cause their knees touch the seat in front.
A week after a 14 hr flight and my hips still hurt, if they had idk 50 less passengers it would be bearable.

[qui-gonjinn]

Everybody gangster till they bring out the economy 19 hour flights with no leg room and zero back support.

[quantum]

this is like taking a test with all the answers given to you

[justen]

Every summer I would always have to fly 13 hours to Taiwan to visit family in economy class and every time I would literally feel like dying. Until this one time I got to fly first class for 13 hours, and even though I couldn't sleep for some reason, it was easier. It was way more quite, you literally got some sort of custom headphones that literally cancelled the annoying loud airplane noises that woke you up every 20 minutes, literally you could order anything from a menu including fast foods, and I literally didn't want to sleep since there were so many features. So yes try economy class where your squished on the window seat fighting for an armrest against your sibling with literal prepackaged food, and the person behind you with there window open with the sun in your eyes.

[LizChanFish]

I feel this is a dangerous precedent to embark if this ends up being introduced to everyday commercial flight. Cool to study, but I wouldn't feel comfortable expecting a crew to work that long over time without some repercussions on the quality of their health.

[xllYumellxChan]

Economy shouldn't even be an option for that flight. That's just brutal. Instead of meals you get a snickers bar. No leg room. No where to move around. And you have to sleep sitting up. No thank you.

[mortem]

I'd be able to survive any flight with ease if my seat turned into a bed.

[tomas.lambert]

January 2020? Surely nothing could disturb the tourism industry

[cwr]

Flew Qantas from LA to Sydney a while back. Great service. But, the elephant in the room is obviously the fact they all had beds to sleep in. 20 hrs in economy is a hard stop.

[slab]

"50 people"
Cool, now try it with a full plane. No room to walk around at all and one child that keeps screaming his head off for the full 20 hours. See how enjoyable that is.

[UserInterface]

First Class: feels like a 5hr flight
Business Class: feels like a 8hr flight
Economy: feels like a 30hr flight

This test is flawed caused you, the journalist didn’t sit in economy for the 19hrs which 80% of the flyers will have to endure if they take this route.

[Nry_Chan]

I genuinely wonder how people get picked to participate in these test flights. I wouldn't mind hopping on random flights to help test what it's like as a passenger

[captainross]

Thoughts and prayers for enduring such uncomfortable and horrific conditions.