National Editorial
The race to offer the world’s longest direct flight is heating up. Qantas, Australia’s national carrier, has announced it plans to launch non-stop flights from Sydney to London, using the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, within five years. The journey, which covers more than 15,000 kilometres, would take about 18 hours.
Most of the longest routes originate from this region – from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai and Jeddah, for instance, to destinations such as Auckland and Los Angeles – and if flight distances do grow, then the Gulf carriers will also seize this opportunity.
Experts point out that Qantas will only win on the Sydney-London route if passengers don’t mind being stuck on a plane for almost a full day and if the cost of the flight is more attractive than services that offer stopovers in this region. That said, ultra long-haul tends to attract business travellers who are willing to pay a premium for a non-stop flight. There is also the question of whether consumers will eventually prefer to travel faster than farther. Surely, one day, speed will trump endurance in long-distance flights.
