Non-stop 14,535 kms: Qatar Airways' world's longest flight lands in NZ

February 6, 2017

Wellington, Feb 6: The world's longest commercial flight landed in New Zealand today with the arrival of Qatar Airways's 14,535 kilometres Doha-Auckland service, the airline announced.

"We've officially landed in Auckland," the airline tweeted as flight QR920 landed at 7.25am (local time), five minutes ahead of schedule after a 16 hour 23 minute flight.

The long-range Boeing 777-200LR crossed 10 time zones on its marathon flight.

Qatar Airways noted the flight was longer than the entire "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies which were filmed in New Zealand.

There were four pilots on board as well as 15 cabin crew who served 1,100 cups of tea and coffee, 2,000 cold drinks and 1,036 meals during the flight.

In keeping with international tradition to welcome inaugural flights, the Auckland airport rescue service showered the plane with water cannons on arrival.

New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said the estimated economic impact of the new service "will be well in excess" of New Zealand dollars 50 million (USD 36 million) with the increased freight capacity provided.

In March last year, Emirates airline launched what was then thought to be the world's longest non-stop scheduled commercial flight, with a service from Dubai to Auckland, spanning 14,200 kilometres.

Air India's Delhi-San Francisco flight claims the world's longest by flying distance but when measured on the surface of the earth Doha and Auckland are further apart.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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