The new flights will reduce travel time by a full four hours compared to existing routes.
Qantas Airlines plans to launch what it claims will be the world's longest non-stop commercial flight in October 2027.
As reported by Fox News, it will connect Sydney and London, with a duration expected to be up to 22 hours.
The Australian airline announced the start of non-stop flights between the two cities as part of the long-awaited Project Sunrise initiative, which aims to provide direct connections from the east coast of Australia to major global destinations.
Qantas unveiled the first of its specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft at the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France. The aircraft has been modified for ultra-long-haul flights and includes an additional fuel tank with a capacity of 20,000 liters, allowing it to operate non-stop flights over distances greater than 16,000 kilometers.
The Sydney-London route will be the first non-stop flight between the east coast of Australia and the UK. According to Qantas, the new flights will reduce travel time by a full four hours compared to existing one-stop routes.
"Since we first flew the 'Kangaroo Route' in 1947, where we made seven stops on the way to London, each generation of aircraft has reduced travel time by one stop. Today, we are eliminating the last one," said Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson in her statement.
The launch marks an important milestone for the Sunrise project, an initiative first announced by Qantas in 2017 aimed at expanding the capabilities of commercial long-haul travel.
Qantas reported that the A350-1000ULR aircraft were specifically designed for this project and will carry 238 passengers in four classes of service. The airline plans to acquire 12 such aircraft.
The carrier stated that direct Sydney-London flights will go on sale in February 2027, with the launch of flights occurring later that same year.
Qantas cited recent studies showing a growing demand for ultra-long-haul flights: 70% of surveyed Australians said they would consider booking a direct flight of this length. According to the airline, interest among premium-class passengers has risen to 80%.
Qantas plans to expand the Sunrise project beyond London. The airline confirmed that the next route to be added to the network will be Sydney-New York, with more details expected next year.
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