Qantas has revealed plans for a direct flight from Sydney to New York and London by 2025. Australia’s national carrier has confirmed the purchase of a new fleet of Airbus A350-1000 jets which are capable of direct flights to any international city. The first Sydney-London flights are expected to depart in 2025. With a travel time of 20 hours, they are set to be the longest direct passenger flights in the world.
What a view 🤩
This morning we welcomed a special @Airbus A350-1000 into Sydney – The aircraft will operate non-stop flights from Australia to other cities including New York and London, starting by the end of 2025. pic.twitter.com/ldXHEihHtq
— Qantas (@Qantas) May 2, 2022
“It’s the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance,” chief executive Alan Joyce said in a statement. He added that the airline was looking for ways to make the long flight an enjoyable experience for passengers. Specific ‘wellbeing’ zones are being considered along with a snack bar and dedicated spaces for exercise.
Through it’s ‘Project Sunrise’ goal, Qantas has been working on establishing direct flights between Australia and the cities of New York and London for several years. The airline first operated direct flights from Perth to London in 2018. However, because of Western Australia’s strict border restrictions, these flights were suspended.
In 2019, the airline conducted a series of test flights from the east coast to the UK and New York. As of now, the airline has not revealed what it would charge passengers in any of the four classes. Qantas did say that the first-class passengers would be treated to ‘a separate bed, recliner chairs and personal wardrobes’ with economy-class passengers having access to hydration stations and well being zones.
The new fleet of 12 planes will arrive in 2025, with the order set to be completed by 2028. Keep your eyes peeled on their Twitter page for updates.