A National Airlines Boeing 777 Freighter has completed what the carrier states is the longest commercial cargo flight ever operated by the aircraft type, flying nonstop from Scotland to Australia. The record-setting flight, operated by one of National Airlines' newest Boeing 777 Freighters with registration N792CA, covered a total distance of 9,849 nautical miles (18,240 kilometers) from Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) to Melbourne in an elapsed time of 19 hours and 23 minutes.
The urgent charter mission was arranged to transport critical Aircraft on Ground (AOG) components required by another airline in Melbourne. Due to the urgent nature of the shipment, reducing transit time was deemed more important than carrying a large payload weight. National Airlines successfully planned, coordinated, and launched the entire charter flight within just 30 hours of receiving the initial customer enquiry.
National Airlines chairman Chris Alf stated that the mission exemplifies the carrier's core purpose of delivering mission-critical cargo anywhere in the world with speed, precision, and reliability. He added that completing the historic flight represents a significant operational achievement and reflects the dedication and expertise of the airline's global teams.
The Boeing 777F aircraft used for the flight, registered N792CA, is a recent addition to the fleet, having entered service with National Airlines in April 2026. The carrier originally ordered four new 777 Freighters from Boeing during the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow as part of its fleet modernization strategy. National Airlines currently operates three 777 Freighters with one more on order, alongside nine Boeing 747-400 freighters, one Airbus A330-300, and two A330-200 passenger aircraft.
