1st non-stop flight from Australia to Britain lands after 17 hours

The first non-stop flight between Australia and the UK has landed at London’s Heathrow Airport. A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner carrying over 230 passengers and crew completed its 14,498km (9,009-mile) journey from Perth in 17 hours. Captain Lisa Norman, one of four pilots on board, told passengers of Qantas Flight QF9 after touchdown: “I would like to welcome you to the history book of aviation… Today we are on this amazing historic flight which is the fastest flight between Australia and the UK that has ever occurred.” The historic flight is the world’s second-longest after Qatar Airways’ flight from Doha to Auckland, which spans 14,535km (9,032-miles), lasts over 16 hours and crosses 10 time zones. Qantas chief Alan Joyce said the success of the Perth-London route could pave the way for launching direct flights from Perth to Paris, Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported.