Boeing launches business jet capable of world's longest flight
Rob Picheta, CNN • Updated 11th December 2018
(CNN) — Boeing has unveiled its newest line of business jets, which the company says will allow VIP travelers to fly nonstop between "any two cities on Earth."
The BBJ 777X planes will have a range of 11,645 nautical miles (21,570 km), enabling them to offer the longest commercial flight in the world.
Depending on which routes the jets are used on, the new models mean Boeing could wrestle the crown for farthest nonstop travel away from Airbus.
Earlier this year, Singapore Airlines resumed its 17-hour flights between London and Singapore on Airbus A350-900 ULR (Ultra-Long Range) jets.
But the distance traveled on the record-breaking flights is a mere 9,000 nautical miles (16,700 kilometers), putting it below the range Boeing's new jets are capable of.
The planes "can fly more than halfway around the world without stopping, farther than any business jet ever built," the company said in a statement.
CNN's Richard Quest takes viewers along as he chats with the crew and tests out his sleeping strategy.
"Our most exclusive customers want to travel with the best space and comfort and fly directly to their destination. The new BBJ 777X will be able to do this like no other airplane before it, redefining ultra-long range VIP travel," Greg Laxton, head of Boeing Business Jets, added at the Middle East Business Aviation Association Show (MEBAA).
The jets could be used to connect New York City with Perth in Western Australia, a journey which currently requires a connection and takes more than a day to make.
Two versions of the jets have been made, the BBJ 777-8 and 777-9, with the latter offering a slightly shorter range of 11,000 nautical miles (20,370 kilometers) but boasting a larger cabin.
The company has released renderings of the plane's interior, although it has not sold any of the planes yet.
Other business jets produced by Boeing include the BBJ MAX and high-performance versions of its 787 Dreamliner.
Since forming in 1996, Boeing Business Jets has delivered 234 jets on 261 orders.
