Qantas CEO Alan Joyce at JFK Airport in 2019 ahead of the Australian airline completing a test for the world's longest flight, from New York City to Sydney. Photo: James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Qantas
Qantas has ordered 12 Airbus A350s to be used for nonstop flights from Australia to cities such as New York and London from late 2025, the company announced Monday.
Why it matters: The planes are "capable of flying direct from Australia to any other city" in the world, per a Qantas statement.
- The plans for some of the world's longest commercial flight routes are another boost for the airline industry as it continues to recover from the pandemic and demand for international and domestic air travel grows.
Of note: Air New Zealand announced earlier this year that it would launch nonstop flights between Auckland and New York this September.
What they're saying: Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement that the purchase of the planes "will make almost any city in the world just one flight away from Australia."
- "It's the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance that has traditionally challenged travel to Australia," Joyce continued.
- The aircraft "will improve how people travel around Australia and overseas," with "lower emissions, longer range, less noise and better economics," Joyce added.
Details: The planes can carry 238 passengers in business, premium economy, and economy, with more than 40% of the cabin dedicated to premium seating, according to Qantas.
- The first flights will operate to and from Sydney.
Between the lines: Qantas' long-distance travel plans mean the airline can "reduce debt and forecast a return to profit in the financial year starting July 1," Reuters reports.
Flashback: Qantas set the record for the world's longest nonstop flight in 2019, when the carrier's plane flew for 19 hours 16 minutes from New York's JFK Airport to Sydney.