Qantas flights direct from London to Perth – we reveal the hell of flying non-stop for 17 hours [tr]

UK Sun ^ | March 26, 2018 | Jacob Lewis

[C19fan]

I KNOW I shouldn’t think about it, I’ll scare myself to death but after seventeen hours in the air, I can’t get the worst case scenario out of my head.

No, not a plane crash. I am convinced that I am breathing more farts than air.

I’m on Qantas’ inaugural Perth to London flight, the longest to and from the UK, and the atmosphere in the pressurised tube I’ve been sharing with over 200 other bodies has gotten quite stale.

[C19fan]

Purgatory.

[wbarmy]

I flew several 17 hour flights; from BWI to Manas. Now that was painful. I also took one flight from El Paso to Kuwait. I do not even remember how long that one was.

[freedumb2003]

>>Now that was painful. I also took one flight from El Paso to Kuwait. I do not even remember how long that one was.<<

Sorry to tell you, you are still on it. This is all a dream.

(cue high-pitched Theremin music) *WhhoooWEEEEEEWoooo, WhoooooWUUUUwoooo*

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Crossing the Pacific in the 1950s took 14 days...

[Vigilanteman]

Used to fly back and forth to Japan and Korea quite regularly. Even the 10-14 hour direct flights from various points in the USA were quite enough. It was a LOT more comfortable when they made a stop in Anchorage or Honolulu to refuel.

I'll gladly add a little for the total extra flight time for a couple of hours to get off the plane, walk around and breathe fresh air in a huge airy terminal. And maybe pinch a loaf in something bigger than a smelly broom closet.

[SkyDancer]

OTOH, another story was quite favorable. Then too, think of the pilots (they would have had two, maybe three flight crews).

[DoodleDawg]

Purgatory.

Average coach in the U.S. is purgatory. This is absolute hell.

[Pecos]

Now, THAT'S and incredibly slow airplane. ;-)

I'm reminded of the story in which one of the Wright brothers was asked if an airplane would ever b able to cross the Atlantic Ocean. He reportedly replied, "No, because no airplane engine will operate for 14 days."

[PGR88]

Sorry, but if you are flying to Perth, you will one way or another be stuck in an aluminum tube for at least 17 hours. If you follow the traditional route and layover in Dubai or Singapore, your total flying time will even longer - and you’ll be sitting at least at one airport in the middle.

Give me the direct flight every time.

[Malsua]

The longest straight through flight I’ve taken was just about 16 hours and change air time from Newark to Hong Kong. That said, it was more like 18 hours from the time you sit down until you get off.

I did it in Business class, I can’t imagine the hell of steerage. The end of that flight must have been hell for anyone near the toilets.

[neverevergiveup]

Aren’t there rules limiting consecutive hours on duty by pilots? How do they get around this for these long flights?

[atc23]

The worst part of long flights is the stench of the gassy old people and the near constant line of people lining up to take a dump.

Who needs to go to the crapper at 10 or 11 pm? And then 3 or 4 more times before 3AM.

[Delta 21]

One of these days, technology will advance to the point that we will be able to breath fresh, sterile air, while riding in all our manspeading comfort inside of cylindrical shaped petri dishes to our destination of choice.

Some day.......

[Joe 6-pack]

When I was assigned to Korea, I flew from Detroit to Seoul non-stop, 21 hours. Mercifully, I was seated next to a stewardess who was up and about much of the flight so I had a little room to stretch out sideways.

[wbarmy]

Military flights and multiple pilots.

[Bonemaker]

Enjoy the pulmonary embolisms.

[Flick Lives]

London to Australia Travel Times Comparison

1788 - sailing ship
Voyage: 109 days
Speed: 6 knots

1852 - early steamship
Voyage 80 days
Speed: 8 knots

1909 - passenger liner
Voyage: 45 days
Speed: 18 knots

1960 - passenger liner
Voyage: 28 days
Speed: 27 knots

And in 1960, there would have been no aircraft capable of non-stop flight of that distance.

In 1969, Qantas had its “Kangaroo Route” from Sydney to London which took 29-32 hours with 5 to 6 stops.

http://www.anmm.gov.au/Learn/Library-and-Research/Research-Guides/Passenger-Ships-to-Australia-A-Comparison-of-Vessels-and-Journey-Time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_Route

[demsux]

Do they have a smoking section?

[whistleduck]

It amazes me how we pay a fee to be subject to near torture. I have told my spouse no more S Africa trips. No more commercial flights in my remaining time on this planet.

The stench is overwhelming, and I have very limited olfactory sense. My condolences to those still needing to put up with the forced misery. It is only the RV route for me henceforth.

[Captain Peter Blood]

I made that trip from Little Rock, Ar to Perth, travel time was about 24 hours, changed planes in Hawaii and Sydney.