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First non-stop flight between Australia and Europe lands in London

The first flight non-stop flight between Australia and Europe has arrived at London Heathrow Airp...
Newstalk
Newstalk

12.27 25 Mar 2018


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First non-stop flight between...

First non-stop flight between Australia and Europe lands in London

Newstalk
Newstalk

12.27 25 Mar 2018


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The first flight non-stop flight between Australia and Europe has arrived at London Heathrow Airport.

The Quantas jet took just over 17-hours to travel from Perth to London.

That is about three hours quicker than current routes which include a stop in the Middle East.

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The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner completed the journey of around 9,000 miles two minutes ahead of schedule.

Previously the flight had to stop in either Singapore or the Middle East but cutting out those stopovers slashed roughly three hours from the flight time.

It is the world's second-longest flight, after a Qatar Airways service between Doha and Auckland, which covers 9,028 miles.

Irishman Alan Joyce, the chief executive of Qantas, was onboard the flight. Before getting on board, he described the development as historic:

First non-stop flight between Australia and Europe lands in London

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

“It is an historic day for Western Australia; an historic for aviation; an historic day Qantas – it is the best service that Qantas has ever put in the air.”

In a Twitter post, Qantas said the flight was led by Captain Lisa Norman, Captain Jeff Foote, First Officer Dave Summergreene and Second Officer Troy Lane.

"From today it will be the first link between Australia and Europe that has ever occurred non-stop in aviation.

"We are so excited."

The flight is also expected boost tourism on Western Australia’s less populated western coast – which is often neglected by tourists as it can be more difficult to travel to than the east.

Australian Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo said: "There will be more opportunity than ever before for us to continue to showcase and highlight all the very best parts of Australia, including some of the most magnificent and iconic parts of Western Australia."

The flight will set off on its return leg to Perth at 1.15pm on Sunday.


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