Qantas goes direct Perth to London
Mar 24, 2018, 10:35 pm
#31
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Its not only about being 'south', it also needs to be less 'east'! Sydney is further away from Asia and the EU than Melbourne, as it is further east than MEL is south.
LHR - MEL 16,908 kms
LHR - SYD 17,020 kms
LHR - BNE 16,544 kms
BNE is the best east coast hub from a distance perspective, but for bums on seats and freight, SYD or MEL are better options.
That said, regardless of which one becomes the first east cost 787 hub, there will be someone who will need to make a 1 hour hop, which is totally palatable if it means a non-stop flight (which is the whole point).
It would come down to technicalities and if the 787 can even achieve 17k kms, or maybe it maxes out at BNE distances?
LHR - MEL 16,908 kms
LHR - SYD 17,020 kms
LHR - BNE 16,544 kms
BNE is the best east coast hub from a distance perspective, but for bums on seats and freight, SYD or MEL are better options.
That said, regardless of which one becomes the first east cost 787 hub, there will be someone who will need to make a 1 hour hop, which is totally palatable if it means a non-stop flight (which is the whole point).
It would come down to technicalities and if the 787 can even achieve 17k kms, or maybe it maxes out at BNE distances?
It arrived at 04:03 am GMT (from link in post 26)
QF news https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/me...ect-to-london/
<snip>
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, who was one of the passengers on the inaugural flight, described it as a major milestone for Australia as well as global aviation
<snip>
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, who was one of the passengers on the inaugural flight, described it as a major milestone for Australia as well as global aviation
<snip>
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Mar 25, 2018 at 4:25 pm Reason: added GMT
Mar 24, 2018, 10:44 pm
#32
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Don't think I could do it (especially in economy though even business would be a stretch) but nonetheless bravo to Qantas, a very cool milestone in aviation history.
Mar 24, 2018, 10:47 pm
#33
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Mar 24, 2018, 11:00 pm
#34
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-43530332
Full analysis too:
The evolution of UK-Australia travel into a single flight - BBC News
And covered in great detail on BBC 5 live broadcasts through the morning.
Mar 24, 2018, 11:26 pm
#35
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PER-LHR is about 500 miles longer than DFW-SYD (~1hr flying time). Passengers survive the DFW flight. Routes PER-LHR & DFW-SYD
Mar 24, 2018, 11:46 pm
#36
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Mar 24, 2018, 11:52 pm
#37
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PER-LHR is about 500 miles longer than DFW-SYD (~1hr flying time). Passengers survive the DFW flight. Routes PER-LHR & DFW-SYD
Having flown IAH - DXB and HKG - ORD (among others a touch shorter), my own preference is two shorter flights that total 19 - 22 hours vs one flight of 17 (heck at the end of last year I opted for RDU - ORD - NRT - SYD in PE over RDU - DFW - SYD in Y for work). And both of those long flights mentioned were in F so Y is hard to fathom.
Again awesome milestone for aviation but count me firmly in the camp that would and will continue to take a stopover over a direct of this length (especially in Y).
Mar 25, 2018, 1:12 am
#38
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Just read an article. The youngest passenger was 5 months old. OMG they are crazy. Alan Joyce did an interview in his PJ's. Obviously luxuriating in F not struggling in Economy.
Mar 25, 2018, 1:16 am
#39
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If I got this long flight free I would have to think long and hard about taking it.
Mar 25, 2018, 1:50 am
#40
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The 'holy grail' is the LHR-SYD nonstop, but that is quite a while away.....
And, in terms of fuel efficiency such flights are not the best. Making a stop costs *less* fuel, because the ULH cost even more fuel to carry the fuel to power the plane for such a long time. For a 777, a 5700km nonstop flight is the most fuel efficient per kilometer, a 787 might differ not much.
When fuel prices rise, CO2 taxes apply (which is likely with the global warming), then such 12000+ km flights will be abandoned and will make a stop.
And, in terms of fuel efficiency such flights are not the best. Making a stop costs *less* fuel, because the ULH cost even more fuel to carry the fuel to power the plane for such a long time. For a 777, a 5700km nonstop flight is the most fuel efficient per kilometer, a 787 might differ not much.
When fuel prices rise, CO2 taxes apply (which is likely with the global warming), then such 12000+ km flights will be abandoned and will make a stop.
Mar 25, 2018, 2:30 am
#41
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He was probably in his PJs because there aren’t enough toilets onboard and there wasn’t enough time for him to get changed before landing.
Mar 25, 2018, 3:21 am
#42
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No F... yikes. My husband who has turned in to a premium snob saw the cabin on the news and said... yuck, look at that first class. I wouldn't travel on that. So it was business that he was looking at with horror. If business looks horrible imagine economy?
Sorry for my ignorance, is it a 2 or 3 class plane?
Mar 25, 2018, 4:49 am
#45
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