SYDNEY (Reuters) – Qantas Airways Ltd will reactivate plans to order airplanes capable of the world’s longest non-stop commercial flights from Sydney to London when the airline returns to financial strength, its chief executive said on Friday.

“I think the business case for doing it is very strong,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said on a tourism industry webcast.

“The aircraft are not going anywhere,” he added. “When we are comfortable in doing it and have the financial strength to do it, we will be doing it.”

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the airline had planned this year to order up to 12 Airbus A350-1000 planes to allow Sydney-London and Sydney-New York flights by 2023.

Reuters
Photo Marcel van Leeuwen