Qantas is introducing the first non-stop flights from Europe to Australia! For the first time, travelers will be able to fly directly from Europe to Australia without any stopovers, as Qantas announces the launch of this direct route.
Starting in 2018, Qantas will offer direct flights from Perth to London, marking a significant milestone for Australian travelers who want to fly direct to Europe. The airline plans to use the new 787 Dreamliner aircraft for this route, which will operate from the domestic terminal at Perth Airport beginning March 2018.
This announcement follows an agreement between Qantas and the Western Australian Government, which resolved a previous stalemate. The state government has committed $14 million to improve the terminal, specifically for constructing quarantine facilities and Australian Border Force infrastructure.
Qantas aimed to operate the non-stop service from a domestic terminal instead of the new international terminal to simplify connections for passengers with onward flights.
Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas, hailed the new route as “amazing news” for both Perth and Australia, calling it a significant leap for travel, tourism, and trade. He explained that this new aircraft and route would cut travel time by an hour for those traveling through Perth compared to routes through Dubai, Singapore, or other destinations.
Joyce emphasized that the aircraft is specially designed for this long-distance journey. Premier Colin Barnett described the deal as “game-changing,” noting that it could boost the local economy by more than $36 million annually.
Joyce highlighted the historic importance of this new service, pointing out that Australians have never had a direct link to Europe before. He reminisced about the Kangaroo Route to London established in 1947, which took four days and nine stops. The new direct flight from Perth will reduce this to just 17 hours.
It is expected that this new service will significantly enhance tourism to Western Australia, with the UK being Australia’s third-largest source of overseas arrivals, as approximately 660,000 Britons visited last year.