The technical advancements in the aviation industry have actually altered travel preferences.

Ultra long-haul flights are getting to be ever more typical. First of all, the long-haul renaissance is convenience and increasing demand. Travellers generally speaking but especially company travellers like Ras Al Khaimah based Jamie Buchanan are going to despise stopovers and multiple connections which ultra long-haul routes spares. Also, market forces and consumer behaviour shape most if not all of the changes we see in services and travel is no exception. Travel choices have significantly changed - perhaps the concept of travelling isn't the same as it had been two-three decades ago. The present day traveller is ready to spend more time and money seeking exciting new experiences. Furthermore, increasing travel demand from business travellers have made ultra long flights more lucrative. It is a generation driven by wanderlust; numerous see the trip itself to be part of an adventure. Because of this, long haul flight destinations half a world away that have been once considered too far are now more available than ever.

Countries and companies have prioritised investing greatly on modernizing their facilities to focus on the growing interest in long-distance international travel. This is evident in the expansion of supporting infrastructure globally both with regards to flight terminals and streamlining aviation regulations. In other words, regulations have developed in the previous years especially in relation to open skies agreements and harmonising aviation rules across countries. Truly, offering non-stop flights is giving business planes a competitive edge not just through more efficient and time saving travel but providing more long-haul seats in light of evolving passenger choices for direct flights will certainly translate into higher profits. Presently the longest nonstop flight in the world reaches 17 hours and 20 mins travelling distances of at least 12,964 kms as business travellers like Beirut based Mohammed El Hout would probably tell you.

The rise of long-haul flights may be linked partially to lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft made from carbon fiber composites which older aeroplanes lacked. The application of carbon fiber composites was instrumental in changing the structure of modern aeroplanes facilitating the proliferation of long-haul routes. Older jets had been made primarily of aluminium. The development of carbon fibre composites aircraft has received a direct impact on fuel consumption and weight. The carbon composites provide a balanced mixture of power, durability and most notably lightness. Formerly, long distance flights were heavier than shorter ones as they had to transport extra fuel, meals and crew. Nevertheless, substituting aluminium components with carbon composites dramatically lowered the weight and gas usage of planes. Certainly, the utilization of carbon cut down quantities of fuel necessary to build altitude, sustain altitude and descending unlike older jets which burned lots of gas climbing and descending. Hence, the values had been far more expensive making it only affordable to business travellers like Riyadh based Tony Douglas.