QF MEL/SYD-LHR - world's longest flight

[CarbonMan]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...london-nonstop

IF Airbus can deliver this super ULR to QF and the latter make the economics work, SQ will lose its longest commercial flight title as fast as they will regain it in a couple of years' time. I don't see SQ flying non-stop to UIO or the Caribbean islands anytime soon. Are they any other viable city-pairs?

[alian]

The problem is that it's only QF that needs such a bird. So if doubt Boeing or Airbus is gonna take the challenge for just one customer.

Also on another point Imagine 20 plus hours in a tube in Y. Most would rather have a one stop option as well unless QF takes the SQ way of going all premium but I doubt it

[CarbonMan]

Originally Posted by alian

The problem is that it's only QF that needs such a bird. So if doubt Boeing or Airbus is gonna take the challenge for just one customer.

Also on another point Imagine 20 plus hours in a tube in Y. Most would rather have a one stop option as well unless QF takes the SQ way of going all premium but I doubt it

Well, Airbus did build 7 ULRs for SQ; don't see anyone else wanting it. I guess it all depends on the cost of tweaking whatever they already have. It may be just a "simple" issue of increase fuel tanks and reducing seats/load. It may have been part of a larger deal between SQ and Airbus, of course.

QF will most likely have to price the tickets on a premium to justify the economics. With Australia's strong union, I suspect that there would be considerable huddles to overcome in getting crew to fly this 20-hour flight - and it won't come cheap.

[alian]

True Airbus did the A350ULR for SQ but SQ also made the decision to go all premium as well and really kudos to SQ however I've really doubt QF would though but would like them to take the challenge.

I think for Y it would be hard to justify paying the premium for thr same seat. People would just pay less for 1 stop and I think this is the reason why SQ went all premium. Not sure if other airlines can accept this mindset and thinking

[CarbonMan]

ICYMI

Now United has announced yet another ultra longhaul flight. As of January 18, 2018, United will offer daily nonstop flights between Houston and Sydney. This complements United’s existing flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Sydney. The flight operate with the following schedule:

UA101 Houston to Sydney departing 8:00PM arriving 6:30AM (+2 days)
UA100 Sydney to Houston departing 11:50AM arriving 10:35AM

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ouston-sydney/.

The flight path (great circle) will be mostly over blue ocean Pacific. Wonder if ETOPS kick in here. Anyone with knowledge on this?

[9V-JKL]

https://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-ceo-...e-expectations

the airline will choose between the Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777X within the next 12 months as partners in its non-stop Project Sunrise flights to London and New York....... there’s no longer an expectation that it will carry the airline’s previously-stated goal of 300+ passengers across four classes.

[9V-JKL]

And dials back some more....

Qantas rules out below-deck sleeping bunks on Project Sunrise jets.

https://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-rule...-jY3qjxPOVaxV4

Not good to over-promise and under-deliver....

[9V-JKL]

Boeing to offer QF 777-9 with seating for 300pax and 17,000km range. Additional fuel is via apparently from palletized fuel tanks.

An interim solution before (if at all) the 777-8 comes into service

https://www.airlineratings.com/news/...oject-sunrise/

[zilchster]

Looks like Qantas will temporarily suspend its SYD-SIN-LHR route.

QF01/02 would be route SYD-PER-LHR on a 789.

Qantas would also close its first class lounge temporarily.