How long-haul travel will change post-Covid

Airlines are rethinking long-haul travel as engers cautiously return to flying. What’s likely to change?

Australian flag carrier Qantas made history recently by ferrying engers nonstop between South America and Australia. The aeroplane – a Boeing 787 Dreamliner – departed Buenos Aires shortly past noon local time. Some 9,300 miles (14.973km) and 17-plus hours later, QF 14 landed in Darwin.

In doing so, the carrier set two internal records: longest distance covered and longest time in the air for a commercial flight. Captain Alex erini, who commanded QF 14, later said: "Qantas has always stepped up to a challenge, especially when it comes to long-haul travel, and this flight is an excellent example of the capabilities and attention to detail of our flight planning team."

Contrary to popular belief, flying for so many hours isn't entirely new. In the 1930s, Pan Am airliners hopscotched across the Pacific Ocean with regularity. engers on board the Honolulu clipper could expect 20-hour flight times when shuttling between Hawaii and the continental United States. Qantas followed suit a decade later. In 1943, the Flying Kangaroo launched service between Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and Australia, its flying boats taking up to 33 hours to complete the trip. engers who did were subsequently itted to "The Rare and Secret Order of the Double Sunrise", so named because of the two sunrises they would see during the trip.

The 21st Century has seen the long-haul, nonstop trend continue. In 2004, Singapore Airlines made headlines when it launched service between New York and Singapore; a 9,500-plus mile (15,289km) haul that can – depending on prevailing winds – take up to 19 hours. Less punishing (though not by much) is Qatar Airways’ Doha to Auckland, New Zealand service which clocks in at 9,000 miles (14,484km). engers on board the Boeing 777 cross 10 time zones and virtually the entire length of the Indian Ocean, continental Australia, and the Tasman Sea before arriving in the City of Sails. Trip time? 18 hours. Similar feats of flight are expected later this year when United and American Airlines launch services between the United States and India.

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Fun stuff, minus the indignities of air travel of course. For one thing, there is nothing appealing about being sealed in a long metal tube. Do so for ever-longer periods and you are likely to end up grumpy. When engers are grumpy, flying becomes less fun; and if something isn’t fun, why do it? Early flyers were more fortunate. High fares limited who could fly, the result being a select few could experience luxurious service for hours.

Today’s flyers want to fly further, faster, and in style, all while paying less. Catering to these demands requires innovative thinking and airlines are increasingly investing in products that will keep long-haul engers happy. Here are three of them.

Engine technology

Jets need fuel, lots of it. The Boeing 747 – an icon of the long-haul travel era – burns jet fuel at an astounding rate of one gallon per second (4.54 litres per second). Consequently, to keep jets like this flying for hours, you need a large petrol tank. Aeroplanes like the Boeing 747 carry upwards of 57,000 gallons (259,127 litres) of fuel (the record holder is the Antonov An-225 which can carry nearly 100,000 gallons, or 454,000 litres). By comparison, the average four-door Sedan holds closer to 15 gallons (62.2 litres). A bigger tank may help you go further but expect your gas bills to be heftier. At current gas prices, topping off the average Sedan will cost you $50 (£37.30); a Boeing 747, upwards of $140,000 (£104,480). Such weighty expenses bode badly for engers, much of whose cash goes toward paying airline fuel costs. Making things worse is volatility in the energy market which can cause massive swings in fuel prices. For example, a one cent change in fuel prices can produce a $40m (£29.8m) profit (or loss) for carriers.

But help is on the way. Engine manufacturers are studying – and succeeding – at making their products more efficient. A more efficient engine means less fuel burn, and less fuel burn lowers airline costs and (ideally), fares. Agnes Jocher, a professor of sustainable future mobility at the Technical University of Munich, says improvements in so-called ‘by ratios’ are key to lowering fuel use.

This ratio indicates how much air flows around the engine versus through it. Jocher says, "generally speaking, the higher the ratio, the more efficient the engine. The more efficient engine, the lower its fuel consumption." Today’s jets burn on average 60% less fuel than the first generation of commercial aircraft, thanks in large part to by ratios improvements. Jocher expects this trend to continue as airlines keen to go long-haul, nonstop explore ways to trim costs. When it comes to saving fuel, she notes, "higher by ratios are key".

Losing weight

An efficient engine can help you burn less gas. But so can shedding weight. The reason comes down to simple physics. It takes more energy to move more mass. A heavier aeroplane will – all else being equal – burn more jet fuel than a lighter one. A lighter jet can also fly faster, shaving precious minutes off a flight. That bodes well for the airline (keen to maximise aeroplane productivity) and engers (eager to arrive at their destination sooner).

One way to curb aircraft weight is foregoing wiring and cables. These devices act as the connective tissue for jetliners, forming crucial links between the cockpit and aircraft systems like the landing gear, door sensors, and life systems. The problem? They are heavy. By one estimate, wires, switches, and sockets can add over 16,000 lbs (7.2 tonnes) to a wide-body enger jet. And more weight means more fuel burn. The solution? "Fly-by-wireless" systems, lightweight electronic technology which connects the cockpit and crucial aircraft control systems via the airwaves.

Qantas recently took a more creative approach to shedding pounds. The carrier tasked industrial designer David Caon with creating a new line of in-flight cutlery and crockery. A key requirement? The assortment of plates, dishes, and utensils would have to be lighter than their predecessors. Achieving this feat was – to put it mildly – challenging. Caon says he and his team were "not able to reduce the thickness of the crockery as this would affect its durability". Instead, the team redesigned each piece to"“reduce profiles and minimise sections and use less material overall".

Caon describes the effort as a delicate balancing act to preserve "functionality, durability, and weight". These efforts paid off. The tableware – which debuted on Qantas’ 17-hour-long Perth to London route – was 11% lighter than its predecessors, producing "great fuel saving benefits". The new tableware was so popular Qantas subsequently used it across its entire network.

Finessed food

Aeroplanes are – despite the best mechanical innovations – cramped, noisy flying chunks of metal. And despite the inherent wonder of flight, if you've ever flown for hours, you know how boring plane travel can be. Airlines have responded by beefing up onboard amenities (including showers), entertainment (imagine having 4,500 TV and audio channels to choose from), and most notably, improved cuisine. For example, some engers on the 17-hour trek between Los Angeles and Singapore are treated to a food spectacle, one that would rival dining at the best Michelin-starred restaurants. Orange-braised baby beet salad with endive, cherry tomatoes, and pine nuts? Perhaps citrus salmon over pumpkin dal, basmati rice and cilantro ghee? And spiced apple cake to finish? It's a far cry from the unrecognisable, reheated meals of the past.

But just because food sounds good doesn’t mean taste follows suit. When flying high above the clouds, your normal sense of taste goes out the window. The often touted culprits are pressure drops (there’s less air at altitude) and plummeting humidity (cabin air is generally drier than the Sahara Desert). By one estimate, the combination of low pressure and dryness dulls your taste buds by 30%.

However, there’s less talked about reason for waning palate sensitivity. A recent study found loud noise can cause savoury taste to be enhanced, and sweetness dulled. The study’s authors chalk it up to the noise-induced suppression of intense flavours which ultimately "alter the perception of the foods we eat". Their proposed fix? Rethinking menus to match taste preferences at altitude so engers can – despite the constant buzzing of jet engines – better taste their food. Given the billions airlines are investing in going long-haul, spending a little more on "menu diligence" may well be a bargain.

The Covid-19 pandemic has understandably depressed air travel demand. Closed borders and ever-changing testing requirements are less than enticing for any traveller. But as border restrictions ease, and as demand picks up, expect renewed interested in long-haul flight. Qantas – sensing enger appetite for arriving sooner rather than later – has already renewed its commitment to "Project Sunrise", an ambitious effort to fly nonstop from its Sydney hub to prized markets like London, New York and Paris. With rivals sure to follow suit, innovation will discern which carriers make it and which ones don’t.

Ashley Nunes is a research fellow at Harvard Law School.

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