Apparently sitting in an airplane seat for 17+ hours is more popular than some of us might think: Qantas’s new non-stop from London to Perth, on Australia’s western edge, has proven so popular that the airline is thinking about even longer flights.
Qantas says that the Perth flight has been so popular since it launched five months ago that it is the “highest rating service” with 92% of seats sold, and 94% in business class. The airline’s CEO says it’s “Amazing performance for a new operation.
Direct flights to London has been a Qantas goal for a long time, and is possible in part because of Qantas’ work with Boeing on squeezing more distance out of its 787 Dreamliners. The flight is 8,991 miles.
A possible next: flights to Sydney, which is on Australia’s east, a continent away from Perth. Candidates for that service, aside from further 787 tweaks, include the coming Boeing 777x and the Airbus ultra-long-range version of the A350.
Photo: BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada/Wikimedia
After sitting on an airplane seat for 12 hours it’s an absolute pleasure to ride an exercise bike in Kuala Lumpur Airport – before my onward journey to Oz.
Just for 20 mins so the lower part of my body regains the will to live.
I thought a few minutes jogging would help me – until I realised I had presented myself as a moving target to the Airport Police.
The thought of a 17 hour direct flight in cattle class is awful. Maybe travelling in business class – with room for my arteries to function – would be better.