- Australian airline Qantas is considering launching commercial flights that will span 20 hours.
- Cape Town could be on one of the routes.
- The flights may include several inflight luxuries such as crèche, a café and a gym.
Ultra-long commercial flights - that will span 20 hours - may lift off from Cape Town international airport by 2022.
This forms part of a grand plan by Australian-based Qantas airlines to conquer the “last frontier of aviation” covering unprecedented distances, the airline told Business Insider South Africa.
Also read: This is what Cape Town airport will look like in 2023 – after R7 billion goes into new runways and departure lounges
The initiative, dubbed “Project Sunrise”, is aiming to have direct flights between Sydney, London and New York, with routes to Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro and Paris also being considered.
Qantas said it is now confident that commercial airline manufactures Boeing and Airbus can build planes that can cover these long routes.
Currently London-Perth flights prove that there is a high demand for non-stop-over flights covering a long distance, a Qantas spokesperson said.
“If the business case supports it, we’ll make a decision on the aircraft by the end of this year.”
The airline said it has been doing research on the customer experience for potential long-haul flights, and what would be feasible.
“Everything is on the table, from an exercise or stretch zone to a crèche.”
Other suggestions include an in-flight café offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and spaces to do stretch exercises to promote circulation and comfort.
For more, go to Business Insider South Africa.
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