What was the highest altitude of any commercial plane was ever recorded?

our plane from Montreal to Winnipeg had an altitude of more than 42,000 ft.


to me that was the highest I've experienced because other commercial plane I've ever been to maintained their altitude at around 39,000 ft when flying long distance.|||Maximum altitude (and altitude records) are somewhat different things -


Yes, you can dash many airplanes to high level to see how high they go -


Establish record altitudes -





Commercial airliners have a maximum certification flight level (FAR/JAR 25) -


It is a function of mainly 2 things -


- How high can you maintain cabin altitude at 8,000 feet with pressurization -


- How fast (time) could you descent to safe altitude with loss of pressure -





As an example the 747-200/300 is certificated to 45,100 feet -


However in practice, we hardly flew it above 38 or 39,000 feet -


I mostly never flew it above 41,000 feet - higher for fuel economy was not worth it -


Bear also in mind that initially, at max weight, we started cruise at 29,000 feet -





I flew a few times in a Lear 31 - certificated to 51,000 feet -


The aircraft was empty and light -


We finally reached 49,000 feet - thereafter rate of climb was about nil -


So we remained at that level - then had to descent for arrival -


Fuel savings were not sufficient to warrant climb to above 43 or 45,000 feet -





So for me "maximum altitude" is just "nice to know" impressive figure -


But no practical value -|||When it was in service Concorde cruised at 62000 feet. Currently the highest certified is 53000 feet in the case of the Cessna Citation X.|||Let me help you with that...|||COMMERICAL.


45,000 FT. HIGHER IN TESTING.