AUSTRALIA’S flag provider has introduced a brand new date for his or her direct 20-hour lengthy flights.
Qantas Airways now hopes that “Undertaking Dawn” takes off in 2026, following enormous delays from the pandemic.
The groundbreaking initiative will let Aussies fly from the east coast cities of Sydney and Melbourne into cities like New York and London.
The airline hopes to make use of Airbus A350 for its bold flights which is able to characteristic zero stops.
Qantas already flies immediately from Perth to London and to Rome which have proved profitable.
CEO Vanessa Hudson informed Information.com.au: “Undertaking Dawn is an A350 that can have 4 cabins … top quality, enterprise class, premium economic system and economic system.”
She continued: “It will likely be in a position to fly from the east coast, so Sydney and Melbourne, to New York and London direct.”
Hudson defined that the flag provider’s profitable report with lengthy haul flights made the unconventional 20-hour flights a no brainer.
British Airways is the one different provider to fly immediately from the UK to Australia.
It isn’t clear how a lot flights from Australia to New York or London will value however direct flights are notoriously extortionate.
Qantas first introduced Undertaking Dawn within the summer time of 2017, later difficult each Boeing and Airbus to craft a jet that would deal with such lengthy flights.
In keeping with Qantas, Airbus efficiently secured the gig.
However former CEO Alan Joyce defined that Qantas needed to put Undertaking Dawn on maintain following the outbreak of Covid-19.
This comes after a brand new funds airline promising low-cost long-haul flights was compelled to delay its launch date by a yr.
British startup World Airways claimed it should present low-cost routes from the UK to the US and lately acquired an Airbus A380, thought of to be the world’s largest and most spacious passenger plane.
Flights had initially been anticipated to take off this summer time, however the provider has now said 2025 is its goal as a substitute.
Nonetheless, essential work on the aircraft will not be but full and can push the airline’s goal again till subsequent yr.
World first intends to refit the plane in its personal model, whereas additionally finishing up important upkeep wanted for it to have the ability to serve passengers.
As soon as up within the air, the aircraft will take passengers from London to New York and Los Angeles, in line with the airline’s start-up announcement.
In the meanwhile, nonetheless, the aircraft will stay in Glasgow, the place it’s being ready.
A spokesperson for the airline informed Flight World: “[Operations] and upkeep timelines, like for any airline, have led us to reappraise once we’ll be operational.
“2025 is the goal and we’re working with numerous companions to attain this.”