Wanting to introduce nonstop flights between Sydney and London in the year 2022, Qantas Airways has challenged Boeing and Airbus to tweak their 777-8X and A350-900ULR aircraft models respectively to be able to handle the task — which is considered the “last frontier” and “Holy Grail” for ultra long haul flights — as well as for possible nonstop flights between Sydney and New York.
Longest Flight in History by Qantas Airways in 2022?
Nonstop flights between Sydney and London — which could last for a duration of approximately 20 consecutive hours — would save approximately four hours of travel time due to the elimination of at least one stop; while passengers could potentially save three hours of travel time during nonstop flights between Sydney and New York.
Approximately 300 passengers would be transported on both proposed routes.
According to this article from Australian Aviation, Qantas Airways “has established a partnership with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre to learn more about the impact of long-haul travel on the passenger experience and better understand how elements such as movement, light, temperature, food and drink affect people before, during and after their flight.”
At a length of 9,188 nautical miles — which roughly converts to slightly greater than 10,573 miles or 17,015 kilometers — a route between Sydney and London would earn the title of the longest passenger flight in the world ever flown in the history of commercial aviation for regularly scheduled service. That flight would surpass Flight 21, which was operated by Singapore Airlines from Newark to Singapore with a distance of 9,535 miles or 15,345 kilometers and a flight time of as much as 18 hours and 50 minutes. That flight was first launched on Monday, June 28, 2004; and the last flight occurred on Saturday, November 23, 2013.
The longest commercial airline route in the world by distance is 7,848 nautical miles between Doha and Auckland, as currently operated by Qatar Airways.
Alan Joyce — who is the chief executive officer of Qantas Group — announced in December of 2016 that Qantas Airways will operate nonstop flights between Perth and Heathrow Airport in London starting in March of 2018. Tickets for seats on the flights — whose distance will be 14,498 kilometers and last for a duration of approximately 17 hours — are currently on sale for as low as $1,798.00 in Australian dollars. Despite service not yet having been launched, that flight is reportedly popular amongst customers and in high demand.
Summary
Some questions do come to mind pertaining to nonstop service between Sydney and London — such as the overall comfort and service; how members of the flight crew will handle such a marathon flight in terms of duration; and is the result worth the investment in tweaking an aircraft model to a specific customized specification…
…but most importantly, do you think you can handle being a passenger aboard an airplane for a flight whose duration is 20 hours?
Source: Qantas Airways.
