Qantas sets sights on world’s longest route

has ambitions to launch the world’s longest commercial flight within the next five years, with non-stop services from the east coast of Australia to London and New York.

A non-stop flight between Sydney and London would take 20 hours and 20 minutes – almost three hours longer than the world’s current longest commercial flight: Qatar Airways’ Doha-Auckland service.

Currently, no aircraft has the capability to make this journey, however Qantas hopes that by announcing its intentions it has “issued a challenge” to manufacturers Airbus and Boeing to successfully extend the range of new aircraft by 2022. qantas.com