Qantas to test ‘ultra long-haul’ Sydney to NY, London flights

SYDNEY: Qantas on Thursday said it will run “ultra long-haul” test flights in the coming months from New York and London to Sydney in order to assess the health of pilots and passengers, as it eyes commercial services on the marathon routes. Three flights aboard Boeing 787-9 aircraft will take place from October, with up to 40 passengers and crew on the 19-hour flight. Those on board will be subject to medical checks, while their sleep patterns and food consumption will be monitored, as Qantas bids to establish non-stop commercial flights from Australia’s east coast to London and New York. Qantas last year introduced the first direct service from the western Australian city of Perth to London, with the 17-hour journey one of the longest passenger flights in the world.