Qantas flies London-Sydney direct in research flight

The flight, which touched down in Sydney after 19 hours 19 minutes, is part of the airline's Project Sunrise, which is pushing the limits of ultra long haul passenger flight in an effort to open up new direct routes. Last month saw Qantas fly non-stop from New York to Sydney in 19 hours 16 minutes. The third and final research fight will be from Sydney to New York in December. Project Sunrise is part of the buildup to Qantas’ centenary, which takes place in 2020. 

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“Qantas is a national icon because it’s been such a big part of Australian life for so long,” said Qantas chairman, Richard Goyder.

“We started in outback Queensland carrying mail and a few passengers in the 1920s. We grew as Australia grew, and we’ve had important support roles during wars, national disasters and celebrations. Our founders talked about overcoming the tyranny of distance and through the years we’ve moved from bi-planes, to single wing, to jets to help bring things closer.”