Direct flights from Britain to Australia could be confirmed within weeks

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...-perth-london/

Direct flights from Britain to Australia could be confirmed within weeks

The Australian city of Perth could be just one flight away from the British city of London within weeks

The first non-stop flights between Britain and Australia could be confirmed within weeks, according to Alan Joyce, the chief executive of Qantas.

The Australian airline yesterday unveiled details of its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which would be capable of making the 8,990 miles (14,470-kilometre) schlep from London to Western Australia, and Mr Joyce confirmed that negotiations with Perth Airport were underway and a final decision was “imminent”.

“This aircraft allows us to fly routes that we could only imagine in the past,” he told The Australian. “It ­allows us to fly from Perth to London, from Sydney to Chicago or Melbourne to Dallas.

Referring to the London-Perth route, he added: “It's such a great opportunity for Western Australia it would be a shame if we couldn't close a deal. It's so game-changing ­because Australia has never been connected with Europe with a regular passenger service.”

While an announcement may be close, the first flights won’t take place until late 2017 at the earliest. The first of eight 787-9s will be delivered to Qantas in a year, it said yesterday.

The aircraft will have room for 236 passengers, including 42 in business class and 28 in premium economy.

Features include new two self-service bars - one in business and one in economy, a “foot net” to provide extra support for weary limbs, and fully redesigned seats. The aircraft will feature a new Qantas logo, too.

Business class seats will recline to 80 inches, while seat pitch in economy will be 32 inches. Other features typical of the Dreamliner include high-tech cabin lighting, with a simulated sunrise to “gently wake customers on morning flights”, and larger windows that can be adjusted using electronic controls.

That's pretty cool. Coupled with talks about visa and immigration relaxations between the two countries...

I'll likely make use of this if it comes in the future. I have family in Australia who moved there over a decade ago who still visit back home but we haven't visited over there (so expensive for how many of us there are) so in all likelihood when I do eventually visit Australia i'll be visiting Perth as that is where they live - well except for cousin who is now in Melbourne as he's in the Royal Australian Army. The crazy thing about Australia is that it's so vast you can't just buy a cheap flight from one side of the country to the other: my family who moved there had a family member who lived on the other side and they didn't visit him for years because it's so expensive just for an internal flight given the huge distance.

Thoughts?

[AgnesIO]

Can already get flights for £600ish to Perth with only a one hour stopover. Cool that it would be direct, I guess, but more than happy to have a short stopover personally - reduces cost hugely (I usually stop in the Middle East - Abu Dhabi), and avoid direct simply because it is sometimes twice the price.

[FlyingJesus]

Wouldn't be any use to me since my sister's up near Sydney but nice concept, 787 is an excellent machine too

[Lucy]

This would make it unbelievably convenient for myself business wise, have been following this closely for a while now.

[AgnesIO]

This would make it unbelievably convenient for myself business wise, have been following this closely for a while now.

I really don't see this. Literally saves a couple of hours, maybe, which (as someone who travels for business), isn't too big a deal as I would work on the flight anyway.

The (likely) cost difference makes it less worthwhile to me.

[Lucy]

I really don't see this. Literally saves a couple of hours, maybe, which (as someone who travels for business), isn't too big a deal as I would work on the flight anyway.

The (likely) cost difference makes it less worthwhile to me.

Yeah I suppose you have a point, I meant to add it will really depend on the cost they place on it, I always fly through Dubai and have Lounge Access and will be honest it is nice to have a shower and relax a bit.

[AgnesIO]

Yeah I suppose you have a point, I meant to add it will really depend on the cost they place on it, I always fly through Dubai and have Lounge Access and will be honest it is nice to have a shower and relax a bit.

Absolutely agree re lounge access. Almost essential to me to be able to have a wash before the destination - although normally because I have to travel a fair distance just to get to the airport in the first place (before the stop over ).

[Cerys]

I really don't see this. Literally saves a couple of hours, maybe, which (as someone who travels for business), isn't too big a deal as I would work on the flight anyway.

The (likely) cost difference makes it less worthwhile to me.

Eliminates the risk of missing your connecting flight too

[Lucy]

Eliminates the risk of missing your connecting flight too

To be honest I have flown a lot and never missed a connection, I always make sure I have atleast 2.5-3 hours in between flights on the long haul Perth > Europe.

[AgnesIO]

Eliminates the risk of missing your connecting flight too

True, although I have never actually had that issue myself.