The Boeing 787 Air New Zealand takes off for Chicago – the longest non-stop flight of the airline

The flight from Air New Zealand left for Chicago, the airline 's longest non – stop airline service, with passengers spending about 15 hours on the plane.

The flight departed from Auckland Airport around 17 hours.

Air New Zealand President, Tony Carter, said that any new route was important but that "our longer route is even more important," he said.

Read more: How Air NZ is Prepared for the Chicago Marathon Flight

The second longest route of the airline – Houston – had been a success and Chicago gave him access to another important part of the United States.

Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis, who is part of the inaugural service, said that non-stop flight would boost the visitor industry.

In 2017, more than 330,000 Americans visited New Zealand, spending close to $ 1.3 billion across the country. These numbers are expected to increase and visitors are expected to contribute more than $ 2.3 billion to the New Zealand economy by 2024.

"The Auckland-Chicago flight will make it easier than ever for visitors to our third largest market to discover New Zealand and Kiwis to discover one of the world's most vibrant cities," Davis said.

"We want a tourism industry that generates productive, inclusive and sustainable growth, with nearly 60% of US visitors traveling outside the peak season, this new route will spread the benefits of tourism throughout the year. and help us achieve our goals. "

In addition to tourism links, the United States is New Zealand's fourth largest trading partner and one of the largest sources of direct investment.

The 13,200 km return flight to Auckland will take even longer – due to headwinds – and could take about 16 hours.

Very long-haul trips are gaining popularity, with passengers enjoying the convenience of stopovers at airports.

With about 2,000 km of the longest service in the world – Singapore Airlines' flight between New York and its base, the Air New Zealand service is in the top 20 of the longest.

The flight will be the longest to land at the O 'Hare International Airport, the sixth busiest in the world.

In the last six months, airlines' operational staff have organized "virtual flights" on the route, to determine the impact of time on service, especially to the south.

The flight needed a new approval from the Civil Aviation Authority. The airline and the unions negotiated a new agreement for the crews because of the duration of the flight. There will be four pilots and 10 cabin crew members on Chicago flights three times a week.

Chief of Flight Operations and Chief Safety Officer David Morgan said Chicago poses problems in the winter with snow and ice, and that in the summer, thunderstorms and intense heat can disrupt life.

"The flight time and the duration of the flight are not particularly important because of the tailwind, but the challenge is back," says Morgan.

The Dreamliners used on the Chicago route are the latest products delivered to the airline and are equipped with new generation Trent TEN engines that have not posed any problems for the airlines and are not subject to additional checks and inspections. scope restrictions imposed on "Package C" engines.

• The Herald travels to Chicago with permission from Air NZ