Sydney (AFP) – Australian airline Qantas announced it will launch the world’s first non-stop flights between London and Sydney in October 2027. The airline’s “Project Sunrise” service, which has been repeatedly delayed, will cut up to four hours off the flight time between the two cities, the airline said in a statement Wednesday.
“Qantas was built on the belief that Australia’s distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way,” chief executive Vanessa Hudson said. “The pioneering spirit of generations of our people has forged that path ever since, and today is the most significant step in that mission in our 105-year history.”
Qantas said it would fly passengers non-stop on the Sydney-London route aboard its new ultra-long-range Airbus A350-1000ULR, which has undergone test flights in Toulouse, France. The Airbus aircraft, which has been designed specifically for the across-the-world flight, carries an extra 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank to enable non-stop commercial flights of up to 22 hours. Qantas said it would take delivery of 12 aircraft in total, each configured with 238 seats across four cabins. Tickets for the new service, which will take passengers between the two cities in as little as 19 hours, are to go on sale in February 2027.
“Eliminating the stopover saves customers up to four hours of travel time. This aircraft has been designed from the ground up for ultra long-haul travel, with a cabin built around science and combatting jetlag, with an onboard experience purpose-built for the length of the journey,” Hudson said.
The Australian carrier has been planning for the flights for nine years but repeatedly pushed back the start date — most recently set for the first half of 2027. Qantas said Sydney-New York would be the next route after Sydney-London as it expands non-stop services from Australia’s east coast to international destinations. Launch timing for these services would be announced next year.
Qantas pilots have started training on an A350 simulator in Sydney and with British Airways in Britain, the airline said. More than 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew are to be trained to operate Qantas’ fleet of Project Sunrise aircraft by the time all 12 aircraft have been delivered, it said.
Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell welcomed the announcement. “This is a significant milestone for aviation and tourism in both Australia and the UK and a demonstration of the strong friendship between our two nations,” Farrell said. “Australia is a world-class tourism destination and the new direct route launched by Qantas will help bring more people to our shores to experience the best we have to offer.”
© 2024 AFP
