British Airways staff set a world record earlier today by pulling one of its new Airbus A350 aircraft a distance of 100 meters. The achievement follows a similar achievement by a group of teenage police cadets in Dubai last summer.

Aircraft are heavy pieces of kit, making it even more amazing that they ever get off the ground in the first place. Usually, they are moved around an airport under their own power, or with a tug. However, British Airways took a different approach in an effort to raise money for charity. Colleagues and sporting stars pulled the airline’s newest A350, G-XWBE, a distance of 100 meters by hand.

A new world record

In the run-up to Sports Relief, a charity event in the United Kingdom, British Airways has been raising money for the noble causes championed by the organization. The headline charity event saw 90 colleagues and sporting legends such as Gary Lineker come together to break a world record. British Airways recorded a video of the feat (included below). I’d recommend watching it for the shot underneath the nose gear if nothing else!

Previously, the record for the heaviest aircraft pulled a distance of 100m by a mixed team stood at 180 tonnes. However, following the valiant effort at Heathrow, it now stands at 182.9 tonnes as the team pulled this new British Airways’ aircraft.

The Airbus A350-1000 is the fifth of its kind to be delivered to the airline. Registered as G-XWBE, it was delivered on the 12th of February. The aircraft is currently on its way to Bengaluru having become the center of attention this morning.

Just your average morning becoming a Guinness World Record breaker for taking part in the heaviest plane pull over 100 metres with a mixed team.All efforts for @sportrelief20 #bapullingtogether 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/drjmEJDKUE

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 6, 2020

Other aircraft pulling records

The record set today by British Airways joins a number of others. Coincidentally, the remaining records are all held by the Dubai Police Force. As part of a fitness campaign, the force has set many records, including three aeronautically themed ones.

Dubai Police, flydubai, Boeing 737
30 members of the Dubai Police School pulled a Boeing 737 150m. Photo: Dubai Police Force via Facebook

A group of male police officers set the record for the heaviest aircraft to be pulled 100 meters by a team (male) with an Airbus A380. Meanwhile, a group of female officers set a similar record with a Boeing 777, this was the heaviest aircraft to be pulled 100 meters by a team (female).

Finally, midway through 2019, a group of teenage police cadets set a record for under 18-year-olds, pulling a Flydubai Boeing 737 weighing some 40 tonnes a distance of 150 meters. These records are part of the Dubai fitness challenge. Other record attempts have seen swimmers pulling boats, and even the world's largest seashell mosaic being created.

What do you make of this record-breaking attempt? Would you like to have a go at beating the new record set by British Airways? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!