Australia’s largest airline, Qantas Airways Ltd, also intends to fly non-stop flights between Australian cities and destinations in the US and UK, which currently require a stopover, using aircraft ordered from Airbus the previous day.
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Qantas said the new ultra-long-haul flights, dubbed Project Sunrise, would start in late 2025, initially connecting Sydney with London and New York. The flights would seek to build on the success of existing long-haul direct flights, which have seen increased demand following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Qantas currently flies non-stop from Australia’s east coast to cities like Los Angeles and Dallas, but New York is too far away. The connection to London goes via Darwin, a city on Australia’s north coast.
Qantas shares ended up gaining 0.69 per cent to AUD 5.80 in trading in Sydney.
By Mike Cherney
SYDNEY (Dow Jones)
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