Qantas’ bet on 20-hour flights explained
Key takeaways
- Frequent long-haul Australian travellers told Reuters their biggest priorities when deciding whether they would take the ultra-long flights included seat comfort, the ability to move around and cost.
- Cabin designer David Caon said he had been asked to approach it as a health and scientific task as much as an aesthetic one.
- “When you have a passenger for essentially a whole day, it really does drive a whole set of new decisions,” he said.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize Qantas Airways is betting that science can make the world’s longest flights feel less punishing – unveiling plans for a “wellness zone,” extra legroom, specially timed meals and animated lighting on its non-stop Sydney-London services due to launch next October.
The Australian carrier, which plans to follow up with non-stop flights from Sydney to New York, this week offered detailed briefings on the science of roughly 20-hour journeys as it looks to convince passengers to pay a premium for avoiding a stopover.
“It’s a major biological challenge crossing all these time zones – seven to nine for London and 14 to 16 for New York,” said Peter Cistulli, professor of sleep medicine at the University of Sydney, who took part in scientific research for “Project Sunrise”.