Travel Question: Why can’t we fly to Sydney nonstop?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

There is no technological reason why London and Sydney could not be connected now, but direct flights are not due until 2022 (Getty)

Q After Singapore-New York re-established itself as the world’s longest air route, you wrote that London-Sydney nonstops would not start until 2022. Would they not be possible sooner?

Kieran F

A There is no technological reason why London and Sydney could not be connected right now. The distance between them is 10,561 miles – roughly 1,000 miles further than the the record-breaking link between Singapore and New York.

The aircraft used for that trip is the A350-900 ULR (for “ultra-long-range”). Boeing’s aircraft with the longest reach is the 777-200LR (“long range”), which Qatar Airways uses for its 9,000-mile-plus link from Doha to Auckland. Flying beyond 10,000 miles and making London-Sydney into a single leap would be a straightforward task for either plane. The range can be extended simply by leaving the cargo holds empty except for passenger luggage. That might sound extreme. But carrying freight aboard ultra-long-haul flights makes little commercial sense, except for the most time-sensitive goods, because of the ferociously high cost in fuel for flying each additional kilogram.

Qantas believes that business travellers, and others with an urgent need to get between the two cities as swiftly as possible, will pay a handsome premium over the one-stop options for the chance to cover the ground in about 20 hours. The Australian airline has launched what it calls “Project Sunrise”, challenging Airbus and Boeing to devise an aircraft to fly London-Sydney (and, theoretically, between any two points on earth – a maximum of 12,450 miles). Aircraft interior specialists are coming up with ways to use the empty cargo holds for amenities such as a gym, a dormitory or a conference room.

This work will take time to assess and implement. Qantas is likely place an order in 2019 with deliveries to start in 2022. Meanwhile the Australian airline is happy to keep flying a daily Airbus A380 “SuperJumbo” from London to Sydney via Singapore.

In principle another airline could move in and launch the nonstop link sooner than 2022. But I would be very surprised if any other carrier will upstage Qantas.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder