SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Qantas Airways is set to formally announce plans to offer 20-hour non-stop flights from Sydney to London by 2022 if Airbus SE or Boeing Co can deliver aircraft that meet the distance, a source familiar with the matter said.

The flight from Sydney to London will on most days take a northern polar route rather than the usual western crossing over Asia and Europe, said the source, who did not want to be named as he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

An announcement is expected alongside the airline’s annual results on Friday, the source added.

The polar route is longer than the 9,200 nautical miles (17,038 kilometers) western route but has the benefit of strong tailwinds rather than fierce headwinds. The route could vary depending on the time of year, but the return flight will likely follow the traditional route, the source added.

“The smart way is not to fight the winds. Use them,” Leeham Co analyst Bjorn Fehrm said in a note to clients speculating about a 10,000 nautical miles polar route in June.

A non-stop Sydney-London route that is three hours shorter than flights involving stops would allow Qantas to charge a premium and differentiate its product from the around two dozen other airlines plying the so-called Kangaroo route with stop-offs in Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong.

Analysts estimate Qantas could price its tickets at a 20 percent premium in return for delivering business travelers to their destination more quickly. It will cut a current stop in Dubai, the hub of Qantas partner Emirates.

Reuters

Picture Marcel van Leeuwen