Qantas puts world’s longest flight plan on hold amid Covid-19
05 May, 2020
The world's longest passenger flights from Australia to both London and NY will not go into operation anytime soon as a result of impact of the coronavirus.
Qantas decided to launch the services in 2023, but has since said that now could be not the proper time to set the wheels in motion.
Qantas' Project Sunrise procedure got under way this past year when the airline flew record-breaking research flights within its plan to introduce ultra-long haul commercial flights.
Ultra-long haul test flights from NY to Sydney and from London to Australia recorded flight times of slightly below 20 hours apiece.
The airline had likely to make a decision which aircraft would operate the world's longest non-stop flights in March this season, but recently postponed this before end of the year.
Qantas has now postponed your choice indefinitely as a result of pandemic.
“We certainly won’t be ordering aircraft for that year,” Qantas leader Alan Joyce said on Tuesday in an area briefing, according to Executive Traveller.
The airline has also extended international flight cancellations before end of July. Travellers booked to fly with Qantas in June and July will be "contacted directly and offered alternatives" said the airline in a statement.
Qantas in addition has cut a huge most its regular passenger services. It is currently operating around 5 % of its pre-crisis domestic flights, and only around 1 % of its international network, in line with the airline.
Australia-New Zealand travel bubble
The airline remains wary of the continuing future of flying, and is seeking to domestic and regional flights as an initial priority.
“Australia has done an incredible job of flattening the curve and we’re optimistic that domestic travel begins returning earlier than first thought, but we plainly won’t be back again to pre-coronavirus levels anytime soon," said Joyce.
"With the possible exception of New Zealand, international travel demand could take years to come back to what it had been."
Australia and New Zealand are working together on an idea that could see Australia’s international flight restrictions loosened to make a travel corridor to New Zealand.
The Antipodean travel bubble will be possible if both countries' success battling the coronavirus continues. New Zealand recorded no new cases of the virus on Monday, May 4.
"When there is any country on earth with whom we are able to reconnect with first, undoubtedly that's New Zealand," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said last month.
When this corridor would open, if it gets the just do it, isn't yet clear, however some Australasian travel authorities have quoted August as a potential timeframe.
Source: www.thenational.ae
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