If you're one of the many who can't imagine 17+ hours strapped in an airplane seat on one of the world's longest non-stops, it's alright. You don't have to—Qantas is managing to fill the seats without you.
After a year of its first-ever Australia-to-London non-stop service, which flies to the western Australia city of Perth, Qantas says nearly every flight has been full and the route has been profitable from the beginning.
Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas, says the airline had a lot riding on this flight, which uses a 787-9; it's the opening act for its intended non-stops from eastern Australia. For that plan, which it calls Project Sunrise, it's waiting for a plane that can make the 20+ hour trip and make a profit. It's been working on that with both Airbus and Boeing.
In the meantime, Joyce says, “The work we put into managing passenger jet lag and designing a comfortable cabin has paid off. It’s the longest flight on our entire network but it has the highest level of customer satisfaction.”
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