Qantas to fly nonstop from Sydney to New York and London from 2025

• 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.