News Analysis: Ultra-long-distance flights

On 17 June, Australian flag carrier Qantas announced plans for a new ultra-long-distance flight route between London and Sydney, with a journey time of over 20 hours of continuous flying. The service – due to launch in October 2027, and billed as the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight – will use modified Airbus A350-1000ULR jets capable of flying for up to 22 hours, eliminating the traditional stopovers associated with such journeys.

The introduction of this new breed of ultra-long-distance flights represents a potential change in how airlines deliver services. This shifts away from international airport hubs in locations such as the United Arab Emirates, which have traditionally offered a useful location for changeovers and refuelling during long-distance trips.

A consequence of airspace restrictions?

Airspace restrictions imposed following the onset of wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are likely functioning as a catalyst for the further development of these routes. Airspace in the Middle East – including countries such as the UAE – remains affected by the US’s war with Iran. While a ceasefire has been in place since 8 April, limiting the amount of continuous conflict, advice from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) notes that the region is still currently subject to “a state of heightened tension”. This includes a risk of “limited, sporadic, and confined kinetic events”.

Removing stopovers cuts out a whole category of claims – missed connections, delayed ‎baggage, and accommodation costs during layovers – all of which disappear with a non-‎stop flight ‎

EASA also notes that while operations in this airspace can be reduced through contingency measures, “such mitigations are less effective in addressing risks to aviation infrastructure on the ground” – rendering formerly popular airports in the region less attractive to airlines for layovers.

Technology driving change

Despite this, the shift to ultra-long-distance flights may be a consequence of technology, rather than the cause. Like the rapid adoption of videoconferencing during the pandemic, crises merely encourage businesses to find ways around their challenges. Ultra-long-distance routes arguably became practical with the introduction of aircraft such as the Boeing 787 in 2011 and the Airbus A350 in 2013.

The standard definition used by industry bodies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), categorises ultra-long-haul flights as routes lasting more than 16 hours, with a distance of around 13,000km or more. Qantas’ modified Airbus A350-1000s, developed through Project Sunrise, are now pushing that boundary further.

For passengers with managed health conditions, prolonged immobility and dehydration ‎can increase the likelihood of a medical emergency

Simon McCulloch, Chief Growth Officer at Staysure, argues that while conflict has accelerated the push towards more direct routing, it would be wrong to frame it exclusively as a workaround for conflict. Rather, technology underlies the change. “Even if those airspaces reopened tomorrow,” he said, “airlines have already invested in new fleets and redesigned the passenger proposition. This feels like a structural shift.”

Reduced risks in some areas, more in others

McCulloch explained that from an insurance perspective, ultra-long-haul flights create a degree of tension. While longer, continuous flights remove some risks, they can also create other issues – particularly when it comes to the health of the passengers.

“Removing stopovers cuts out a whole category of claims – missed connections, delayed baggage, and accommodation costs during layovers – all of which disappear with a non-stop flight,” he explained. “But the trade-off is spending the best part of a day in a pressurised cabin. For passengers with managed health conditions, prolonged immobility and dehydration can increase the likelihood of a medical emergency.”

A customer who has under-declared their health on their insurance faces much more ‎serious financial exposure on a 22-hour flight than on a standard European trip

Additionally, he reported that in-flight intervention can be very costly and challenging at the best of times – more so when the flight is still hours away from its destination. Such factors will need to be priced into how policies are designed, assuming these long flights become common.

McCulloch also noted that the stakes are higher because there is no intermediate stop where a passenger in distress can be offloaded. That, he explained, “makes thorough medical screening more important than ever. A customer who has under-declared their health on their insurance faces much more serious financial exposure on a 22-hour flight than on a standard European trip, whereby their policy may not respond when they need it most.”

Health risks, both physical and mental

Dr Asimah Hanif, a General Practitioner (GP) with the UK National Health Service (NHS) who also serves as a medical adviser to Staysure, agreed that the health risks of ultra-long-haul flights were not easily dismissed.

She explained: “From a clinical perspective, 22 hours in a low-humidity, pressurised environment is genuinely taxing on the body. Dehydration accelerates, prolonged immobility can reduce blood flow in the leg veins, and, for anyone with a pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory condition, that sustained physiological stress matters. Patients often underestimate the cumulative effect of a very long flight, which is why honest medical disclosure when buying cover before travel has never been more important.”

From a clinical perspective, 22 hours in a low-humidity, pressurised environment is ‎genuinely taxing on the body

Beyond the physiological effects of ultra-long-distance flights, a shift towards longer routes could also compound the psychological stresses surrounding air travel. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) estimates that around 90% of adults feel apprehensive when flying, with 10–25% of passengers experiencing outright fear of flying.

The CAA also notes that such fears are often accentuated by concerns over “heights, loss of control, claustrophobia, physiological effects, media hype, and fear of the unknown” – concerns that are highly likely to be worsened by longer journey times.

Conclusion

As the aviation industry continues its trajectory towards uninterrupted, ultra-long-haul travel, the implications for insurers and assistance providers are profound. The traditional models of risk assessment and in-flight medical response will undoubtedly need to evolve – a necessary step to meet the unique physiological and logistical challenges these flights present.

Ultimately, proactive strategy and clear communication from the travel insurance sector will be essential to ensure that the convenience of a 22-hour flight does not come at the cost of passenger safety or result in unmanageable exposure for underwriters.