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File photo of a Qantas plane Shutterstock/Ryan Fletcher

Qantas to launch direct Sydney to London route - the longest non-stop passenger flight

People are set to spend 19 hours in the air travelling from Sydney to London by the end of 2025.

QANTAS TODAY ANNOUNCED it will launch the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight, with passengers set to spend 19 hours in the air travelling from Sydney to London by the end of 2025.

After five years of planning, the airline said it was ordering 12 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft to operate the ‘Project Sunrise’ flights to cities including London and New York.

Non-stop flights will start from Sydney by the end of 2025, it said, with long-haul trips later planned to include Melbourne.

“New types of aircraft make new things possible,” said Qantas chairman Alan Joyce, according to a statement.

“The A350 and Project Sunrise will make any city just one flight away from Australia,” he said.

“It’s the final frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance.”

Qantas operated research flights for the long-haul route in 2019, including a trial London-Sydney trek of 17,800 kilometres (11,030 miles), which took 19 hours and 19 minutes.

A trial New York-Sydney flight in the same year covered 16,200 kilometres (10,200 miles) and took a little over 19 hours.

Singapore Airlines currently operates the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight from Singapore to New York, covering 16,700 kilometres (10,400 miles) in a little under 19 hours.

Qantas already operates a 14,498-kilometre Perth-London trip that takes 17 hours.

‘Maximum comfort’ 

“As you’d expect, the cabin is being specially designed for maximum comfort for long-haul flying,” Joyce said.

Qantas said the new A350 aircraft would be configured for 238 passengers with first-class suites offering a separate bed, recliner chair and wardrobe.

It promised spacier economy sections and a “wellbeing zone” designed for “movement, stretching and hydration”.

Airbus listed the price of the A350-1000 at US$366.5 million (€348 million) on its 2018 catalogue, the last one it published.

Qantas said it was also ordering 40 A321 XLR and A220 aircraft from Airbus.

In addition, it bought options for another 94 of these planes until the end of 2034.

The A220 models were listed at between US$81 million (€77 million) and US$91.5 million (€87 million) in 2018. The A321 was unveiled after Airbus stopped publishing catalogue prices.

Qantas said the total cost of the deal was a matter of commercial confidence, though it indicated it had obtained a significant discount on the standard price of the aircraft.

“The A320s and A220s will become the backbone of our domestic fleet for the next 20 years, helping to keep this country moving,” Joyce said.

The newer aircraft would reduce emissions by at least 15% if running on fossil fuels, and more if using sustainable aviation fuel, he said.

“We have come through the other side of the pandemic a structurally different company,” the airline boss said.

“Our domestic market share is higher and the demand for direct international flights is even stronger than it was before Covid.”

The A350-1000 planes will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofan engines, designed to be 25 percent more fuel efficient than the previous generation of aircraft, Qantas said.

© AFP 2022 

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    Mute Ailís McKernan
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:08 PM

    a farce, thats all it is.

    62
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    Mute Keith Twamley
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:33 PM

    €19,100 a month, think Europe needs to tighten it’s own bloody belt.

    52
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    Mute jumpthecat
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:40 PM

    He’s belt is tight enough by the look of him. Cardiff has the look of somebody after 10 pints after the All Ireland looking for a chipper.

    49
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    Mute Karl Doyle
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:40 PM

    The UK pays them £50 million per day, they don’t need to tight.

    13
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    Mute Aaron McKenna
    Favourite Aaron McKenna
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:09 PM

    That’s our secret plan to write off the debt sorted.

    As the old joke goes, “Well, the strategy is… We’re hoping that the people who lent us the money will forget about it.”

    Seems more plausible with Kevin auditing the books.

    50
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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    Mar 1st 2012, 1:48 PM

    @Aaron.
    I’ve grossly underestimated the genius of our political leaders. How long before Brussels is running like our DoF?
    If the Eurocrats uncover Kenny’s devious plan, he could always threaten them with more civil servants if he doesn’t get concessions!

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:36 PM

    My comments about this chap keep getting deleted so I’m trying a new tack.
    Best of Luck Kevin! We’ll all miss you.

    47
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    Mute Kevin Smyth
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    Mar 1st 2012, 1:35 PM

    Somehow I don’t believe you. But, since I don’t want my comment deleted either, I wish him all the best, He’s a virtuous, honest and devilishly handsome man. I have absolute trust in him. He’s GREAT!

    25
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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Mar 1st 2012, 8:36 PM

    I don’t believe you either John ….
    I hope he works out as well over there as he did here and that
    when he does, the same or similar , he will get his just desserts.
    Best of luck Kevin :)

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    Mute Peter Carroll
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:04 PM

    Quick, count the stamps.

    32
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    Mute Pat Mc Cormack
    Favourite Pat Mc Cormack
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:51 PM

    He looks like Biffo after a few pints

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    Mute Billygoatmuff
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    Mar 1st 2012, 2:43 PM

    He’s more like Harney after a brief run.

    16
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    Mute LoyalIrish Citizen
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:52 PM

    I hope he does the same job for them as he did for us.

    25
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    Mute Pat Mc Cormack
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    Mar 1st 2012, 12:47 PM

    This Guy is so Cool….
    I hope he has a Wonderful time in his new job,
    I really wish him all the very best x x x x

    22
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    Mute Gerard Murphy
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    Mar 1st 2012, 1:58 PM

    Good luck Kev, hope the new job works out well, did you get the new (working) calculator I sent you?
    I know it’s a big sacrifice for you going ovef there, what with the poor pay and all that, we’re all rooting for you back home!

    15
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    Mute Innishvilla
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    Mar 1st 2012, 2:53 PM

    Taking up the auditors post is OK. Just don’t let him open it or play with Money and stuff

    12
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    Mute Glyn Carragher
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    Mar 1st 2012, 1:40 PM

    Nice Photo! But I cant make up my mind whether the slogan or the individual is the bigger joke

    12
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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Mar 1st 2012, 1:38 PM

    Hey folks,
    Thanks for all the comments on this. I just wanted to note that the only comments that were deleted contained offensive language and were removed as per our comments policy.
    Susan

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Mar 1st 2012, 3:41 PM

    Aww Susan. Ya could let us off once in a while.

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Mar 1st 2012, 3:12 PM

    Bunch up on the sofa, Kevin coming!

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    Mute Patricia Gilheany
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    Mar 1st 2012, 4:48 PM

    Cardiff gone to pastures new and leaving one hell of a mess behind him. Just look at what Anglo got away with under his watch,—Maple 10, loan warehousing etc etc etc.

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    Mute Frank2521
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    Mar 1st 2012, 4:48 PM

    For years we sent the cretins to Europe just look at our history Frank Rossi, Pee Flynn, Charlie Mc Creevy, Lucy Cretin and to top it off Our very own Kevin Cardiff. We thought we were just getting them off our TV sets as we were sick of them – now they happen to hold important positions by default. We were caught out. Still we won’t have to see as much of them walking our streets. Lucy takes up the whole footpath in Sandymount.

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    Mute Getard Langslanger
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    Mar 1st 2012, 3:28 PM

    He’s the spit of Benny Hill and a comedy( of errors) genius to boot

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    Mute Shane Farrell
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    Mar 1st 2012, 9:28 PM

    Lets just be glad he is gone!!!!

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