‘Historic’ direct flight from Oz to UK
THE first direct flight from Australia to Britain touched down at Heathrow airport yesterday, after a “daunting” 17 hours and 20 minutes.
Qantas Airways QF9 Perth to London landed at 5.05am to a big welcome party for all passengers.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner completed the 9,000-mile journey three hours quicker than the normal routes which refuel in the Middle East.
The first Qantas route from Sydney to London, launched in 1947, took 55 hours across four days.
Group CEO Alan Joyce, who was on yesterday’s flight, said: “This truly historic flight opens up a new era of travel. For the first time, Australia and Europe have a direct air link. The original Kangaroo Route from Australia to London was named for the seven stops it made over four days in 1947. “Now we can do it in a single leap.” The airline boss added: “This is the most comfortable aircraft Qantas has ever put in the sky. Boeing designed the Dreamliner to reduce jetlag, turbulence and noise.
“We’ve taken that further with our cabin design, giving passengers more space in every class as well as bigger entertainment screens and more personal storage.
“We’ve worked with the University of Sydney and our chef Neil Perry to create a menu that helps the body cope better with jetlag and adjusted the timing of when we serve food to encourage sleep.”
Hong Kong doctor and aviation enthusiast Wayne Kwong, 50, said: “I bought a ticket the first day they went on sale last March and have been looking forward to it ever since.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime flight – an historic event. I’ll never forget it.
“I couldn’t get a premium ticket – 17 hours in economy was daunting.
“But Qantas has done a great job. The seats are comfortable and have good neck support.
“The cabin crew came round every half an hour with drinks and there’s even a self-service bar. It’s amazing.”