QANTAS Airways is testing
a record-breaking direct
flight between New York and
Sydney.
The test will give airlines
a better understanding of
how possible ultra-long-haul
flying is physically. Qantas is
the first airline to attempt a
flight almost a day long with
no stop-overs.
The 20-hour route will
cover over 16 000km and
accommodate a small
group of passengers. The
aircraft will depart on Friday,
October 18 from the US
and land in Australia on
Sunday morning, according
to Bloomberg.
Passengers on the brandnew Boeing Dreamliner
will include the flight crew,
scientists and medical
researchers. The science
project will regularly
screen pilots for alertness,
monitor the food and sleep
and activity levels of the
passengers to see how well
the human body can cope.
There is an undeniable
demand for what could be a
physically strenuous journey.
Iata expects a potential
customer base of 4,6bn in
2019 and 8,2bn by 2037
for extreme long-haul flights.
Along with another
planned Qantas flight test
from London later this
year, it forms part of the
airline’s ongoing Project
Sunrise. If Project Sunrise
is successful, Qantas
will offer 20-hour direct
flights to Sydney from both
destinations in 2022.
Qantas says it also plans
routes from Australia to
South America and Africa.
20-hour flights planned
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