American Airlines' New Longest Flight Touches Down in Brisbane

American Airlines kicked off a new route to Australia by breaking multiple records. After roughly 16 hours in the air, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner touched down on Brisbane all the way from Dallas-Forth Worth without needing a layover. Millions of online users worldwide are said to have monitored this inaugural flight over the Pacific Ocean.

From the Lone Star State to the Sunshine State

American Airlines' first flight to Brisbane, Australia was considered a crowning achievement for many by setting new records in Australia and aviation in general. This was the longest distance ever for an American Airlines flight, logged in at over 13,000 kilometers, or 8,300 miles. The trek was also declared the longest flight ever to arrive at Brisbane Airport.

Flight AA7 departed the Dallas-Fort Worth hub in Texas at around 10:00 p.m. local on Saturday night. The aircraft landed successfully in Brisbane Airport at 4:54 a.m. Monday morning local time. According to data on FlightRadar24, the flight landed over a half an hour ahead of its scheduled arrival at 5:30 a.m.. The flight was reportedly booked full, with three pilots and 12 flight attendants. According to Brisbane Airport Media Manager Peter Doherty, two different crews alternated duties during the flight.

The flight's landing was live-streamed by Brisbane Airport's YouTube channel. Spanning two hours and 15 minutes, the broadcast was seen by over 13,000 viewers and hosted by Doherty and Producer of "The Great Outdoors" travel program Sammy Cheney.

Upon arrival, the passengers on board the first flight to Brisbane were said to have received free baked goods courtesy of Brooki Bakehouse.

Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff commented on the historic inaugural flight from Texas:

“Today’s arrival of American Airlines from Dallas-Fort Worth is a landmark moment for Brisbane and Queensland...They say there are few things bigger than Texas. Well, Queensland is three times bigger than Texas, but we share industries like agriculture, energy, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing...From the Lone Star State to the Sunshine State, this new connection between two hubs unlocks incredible potential on both sides of the Pacific."

FlightRadar24 Director of Communications Ian Petchenik addressed the media during the flight regarding viewers anticipating the historic landing:

“We expect this to be one of the most tracked flights on Flightradar24, with people around the world tuning in to follow the aircraft’s progress from Dallas-Fort Worth to Brisbane, especially keen to watch the livestream of the landing,”

Aussie Hospitality

The nonstop route was first announced back in February of this year, which is scheduled to operate daily during the Winter travel season. The press release noted that the new flight to Brisbane was organized in conjunction with Qantas Airways:
 

"The joint business between American and Qantas continues to offer customers one of the most comprehensive networks connecting North America and Australia and New Zealand."
 

American also resumed flights to and from Kona, Hawaii and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as part of the Winter schedule. Flights will also resume from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand on December 5 and Dallas Fort Worth to Kahului, Hawaii on December 19.

Former Australia Treasurer Cameron Dick expressed his excitement about the Texas-Brisbane route back in February:

“This is a massive coup for Queensland...opening up the state to the lucrative North American market during the peak winter period. This new American Airlines service also opens up so many new opportunities for Queensland businesses, both in Texas and across parts of the eastern and southern United States.”

The seasonal flights are said to bring 141,000 travelers to Queensland over the next three years. The Australian Government also predicts the new American Airlines flight will net the country “an extra $113 million into Queensland”.

United Airlines is the only other airline that flies from the United States directly to Brisbane. United manages two routes departing from Los Angeles and San Francisco.