PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES could become the world record holder for commercial airlines next June when it is rumoured that the carrier”s first Boeing 777LR will stay in the air for 24 hours, as part of an intensive certification programme for the type. The headline grabbing feat would happen just before the Paris Air Show (and just before the public roll out of the Airbus A380). In real life PIA will probably be using the aircraft on the Karachi ” New York route, a mere 14+ hours flight time. SIA”s Singapore ” Newark New York operation, now well established, is scheduled at 18 hours 30 minutes in either direction. For such a long time in the air one of the innovations Boeing is bringing in is LED lighting that changes colour during different segments of the flight (for example, different lighting schemes during meals, night time, sunrise, etc). Out goes the curtains and other forms of partitioning that is the norm with many carriers for the crew rest areas and in comes separate private quarters in the aircraft roof behind the cockpit with two business class seats and two bunks for relief pilots. Cabin staff are provided with six bunks.
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