Qantas Airways is making preparations for what would be the world's longest non-stop flight.
Australia's national carrier has ordered 12 A350-1000 planes from Airbus specifically designed for long-haul trips in a deal pushing $4 billion, according to Reuters News Service.
The planes would then be used for a proposed flight from Sydney to London starting in 2025, 20 hours in all, which would be the world's longest commercial flight.
It's not only an investment in the future but, as Reuters pointed out, a bet that premium, luxury international travel will return in three years' time.
"Since the start of the calendar year, we have seen huge increases in demand," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said during a reception Monday at Sydney Airport, where an Airbus A350-1000 test plane with the Qantas logo was parked in a hangar.
The plane will seat 238 passengers, most in a high-end seating structure, giving Qantas the ability to charge a premium booking although the airline did not say what the cost per ticket would be.
But the flight would get a boost if the revenue is there, as well as from a marketing plan that would set Qantas apart from other international carriers who fly similarly long-haul routes but who often have to stop to refuel along the way.
The A350-1000 was designed to fly directly for the duration of the 20 hours without having to stop.
Currently, the world's longest flight by time belongs to Singapore Airlines, which flies from Singapore to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in 18 hours.
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