Aviation
Qantas Tests 20-Hour Non-Stop Flights to See If Passengers Can Bear It

(Bloomberg) — Qantas Airways Ltd. will run marathon ghost flights from New York and London to Sydney carrying just a few staff to see how the human body holds up before commercial services start.
Qantas said Thursday it will simulate the world’s longest direct flights with Boeing Co. Dreamliners as soon as October. The payload of 40 passengers and crew, most of them employees, will undergo a host of medical checks and assessments.
The Australian airline wants to start direct flights connecting Sydney to New York and London as soon as 2022. Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce describes the services as aviation’s final frontier.
The services, which take about 20 hours, aren’t yet a sure thing. Qantas still hasn’t decided on a Boeing or Airbus SE plane that can fly the route fully laden and without a break. And it’s not clear how passengers will tolerate living in the cabin for the best part of a day and night.
“The things we learn on these flights will be invaluable,” Joyce said on a call Thursday.
Joyce has previously said he plans to choose either Boeing’s 777-8X or Airbus’s ultra-long-range A350-900ULR and -1000ULR for the flights. Competition for the contract gives Qantas more leverage over price.
In an interview with Bloomberg Television on Thursday, Joyce said the delay to Boeing’s 777X program hasn’t excluded the U.S. manufacturer from the deal. He said Boeing had offered Qantas a “transitional” solution to accommodate for any delay. He didn’t elaborate.
“This is still a very competitive race,” he said.
-
OER Magazines2 months ago
OER, February 25
-
Alamaliktistaad Magazines2 months ago
Al-iktisaad, February 2025
-
Banking & Finance2 months ago
Sohar International Appoints Abdul Wahid Mohamed Al Murshidi as Chief Executive Officer
-
Energy2 months ago
Oman Gets Its First Hydrogen Refueling Station
-
Economy1 month ago
Is Gold a Good Investment in 2025? A Deep Dive into the Precious Metal’s Future
-
News2 months ago
Shell Oman Marketing Company Hosts the 1st Lubricants Technology Conference in Muscat
-
News2 months ago
Oman Explores Semiconductor & EV Investments with EONH Private Holdings & Jetour Global
-
News2 months ago
Opinion: Understanding AI’s Ministry of Truth
You must be logged in to post a comment Login