Non-stop London to Perth flights go on sale
The first non-stop flights from London to Perth, which will be the third longest in the world when they launch next March, have gone on sale today.
The 17-hour flights will be operated by Qantas’ new 787 Dreamliner aircraft. They will continue on to Melbourne and replace the airline’s existing London-Dubai-Melbourne services, reducing the overall travel time by an hour.
Passengers will be able to transfer at the west Australian airport to 10 onward destinations within four hours of arrival.
Qantas group CEO Alan Joyce said there had been global interest in the London-Perth flights since they were announced in December 2016.
"We’ve said the Qantas Dreamliner is a game changer, and that’s becoming real today," he said.~
"The Kangaroo Route has kept changing with new technology. It used to take four days and seven stops but now we’re able to link the UK and Australia in a single hop. It’s a level of convenience those in Europe have never had before.
"We’re conscious that this is a long flight, but not much longer than our Sydney to Dallas service. It’s the kind of route that the Dreamliner was created for, because of its built-in features to reduce jetlag and improve the overall travel experience.
"We’ve added a very high level of comfort in each of the cabins and a lower seat count than most of our competitors. And we’re making tweaks to our in-flight service designed to help customers enjoy the journey more."
Return fares for the London-Melbourne route start from £1,115 and the London-Perth route start from £1095, but these are expected to drop below £900 return during deal periods.
The longest flight in the world is currently operated by Qatar Airways between Doha and Auckland and takes 17 hours and 40 minutes.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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