14+ Hour Boeing 737 Service Ends This Week

An exceptionally long Boeing 737-operated service is set to end on July 20. The one-stop route, covering 5,114 nautical miles (9,472 km) each way, has a block time exceeding 14 hours. This service, operated by Batik Air Malaysia, connects Kuala Lumpur to Perth and then Auckland.

Originally launched in August 2023, the Kuala Lumpur-Perth-Auckland route allowed passengers to travel with fifth-freedom traffic rights between the Australian and New Zealand cities. However, the final flight from Auckland back to Malaysia will take place on July 20, with the last departure from Kuala Lumpur on July 19. The service operated thrice weekly on a 162-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8.

The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Auckland, including ground time in Perth, takes 14 hours and 10 minutes. The return trip is 14 hours and 20 minutes, though previous schedules extended up to 14 hours and 45 minutes. Despite the long duration, neither segment is long enough to rank among the top 10 narrowbody routes.

With the cessation of this route, Batik Air Malaysia will shift its longest 737-operated service to another one-stop link. The new longest route is expected to be Brisbane via Denpasar Bali to Kuala Lumpur, with a maximum block time of 11 hours and 40 minutes. Other significant routes include Melbourne via Denpasar to Kuala Lumpur (10 hours and 35 minutes) and Osaka Kansai via Taipei to Kuala Lumpur (9 hours and 20 minutes).

Batik Air Malaysia also operates notable non-stop flights such as Dubai and Tokyo Narita to Kuala Lumpur, each with a block time of 7 hours and 30 minutes. Despite the end of the Auckland route, the airline continues to provide extensive services across Asia and Australia.