Issue 359: The Longest Hop

From Perth-London nonstop to Project Sunrise, Qantas is crossing its final frontiers

When Qantas Flight 9 touched down in London at the end of its historic nonstop flight from Perth a little after 5am local time on Sunday March 25, the remarkable had been made to seem routine.

For the first time, Australia and the UK were linked by a direct nonstop air service. For the 229 passengers and crew on board Boeing 787-9 VH-ZND the experience was of a smooth, seamless service, but that belied the many years of planning and preparation Qantas had conducted.