CANBERRA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Australia's flag carrier Qantas has confirmed it will begin world's first direct flights between mainland Australia and Europe in March 2018, announcing a Perth to London route overnight.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce confirmed the news late on Sunday, explaining that the airline's new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will give them the capability to fly direct to London from Australia's largest west coast city.
The 14,498 kilometer service will be the first to link Australia with Europe directly, and Joyce said the route will open up new possibilities in tourism not only for Australia as a whole, but particularly for Western Australia - a region which often misses out on tourists because of its isolation.
"When Qantas created the Kangaroo Route to London in 1947, it took four days and nine stops. Now it will take just 17 hours from Perth non-stop," Joyce said in a statement late on Sunday.
"This is a game-changing route flown by a game-changing aircraft. Australians have never had a direct link to Europe before, so the opportunities this opens up are huge.
"It's great news for travelers because it will make it easier to get to London. It's great news for Western Australia because it will bring jobs and tourism. And it's great news for the nation, because it will bring us closer to one of our biggest trade partners and sources of visitors."
Joyce said consideration had been given to the extended length of the flight, saying the Dreamliner aircraft will be fitted with appropriate amenities for such a journey.
"...we have features in our economy seats that other airlines reserve for premium economy. Our Business Suite has been nicknamed 'mini first class' by many of our frequent flyers. And we're redesigning our on-board service to help reduce jetlag."
Joyce said he predicts the service to be just as popular with flyers from the east coast, explaining that many Australians would prefer to transit through Perth due to the faster connections and the smaller, quieter airport.
Once the service commences in March, 2018, it will be the third-longest passenger flight in the world, and will be the longest 787 Dreamliner flight in service.
