For decades, travelers have stoically endured jet lag as an unavoidable menace on long journeys. Now, as airlines push for record-breaking non-stop flights halfway around the planet, efforts to counter the debilitating symptoms are turning into a billion-dollar industry. Fresh insight into the physical and emotional toll of ultra-long haul travel should emerge this weekend when Qantas Airways flies direct from New York to Sydney. No airline has ever completed that route without stopping. At nearly 20 hours, it’s set to be the world’s longest flight, leaving the US Friday and landing in Australia during its Sunday morning. This will be more than an endurance exercise. Scientists and medical researchers in the cabin will turn the Dreamliner into a high-altitude laboratory. The aim is to see how humans hold up to the ordeal. <br/>
oneworld
Royal Jordanian Airlines said it’s in discussions about a strategic partnership with a larger carrier that could one day lead to an equity investment. The talks aren’t yet limited to a single airline, CE Stefan Pichler said Monday. Asked if he is seeking investment, Pichler said he takes the view that Royal Jordanian “will in the medium-long term be part of a consolidation that will take place in the Middle East.” Royal Jordanian currently has basic code-share deals with a dozen carriers, mostly via the Oneworld grouping. One such ally, Qatar Airways, has shown the benefits of partnership by opening up a global network including several new destinations in Asia, Pichler said. Beyond Oneworld, Royal Jordanian has code-shares with major international operators including Etihad Airways and Turkish Airlines. <br/>