22-Hour Flights: Will Ultra-Long-Haul Aviation Stay a Niche Market?
Qantas plans to launch a direct London-to-Sydney flight in October 2027, creating a 22-hour route that will span more than 16’000 km without a stop. Industry experts question whether the ultra-long-haul model can expand beyond a lucrative niche.
Engineering the 22-Hour Non-Stop Journey
The upcoming service relies on specialized aircraft equipped with additional fuel tanks. Airbus manufactures the A350-1000ULR, designated for ultra-long-range operations, which allows the twin-engine jets to cross continents without a refuelling stop. During a July test flight between Melbourne and Toulouse, the aircraft remained in the air for 24 hours and 24 minutes, demonstrating endurance capabilities for global routes.
Current commercial records belong to Singapore Airlines, which operates a near-19-hour route between Singapore and New York. Qantas already operates a 17-hour Perth-to-London service that ranks as the most profitable on its network. Vanessa Hudson, chief executive officer of Qantas, stated in an interview with the Financial Times that strong demand for direct travel could increase company profits by more than 230 million francs.
Weighing Economic Viability Against Prestige
Ultra-long-haul flights currently account for less than 1% of all global air traffic. Paul Chiambaretto, professor of strategy and marketing at Montpellier Business School and director of the Pégase chair dedicated to air transport economics, notes that viable economic models for these routes remain scarce. While airlines gain significant marketing exposure and test technical boundaries by breaking distance records, operating costs run exceptionally high.
Carriers must reduce passenger capacity to carry the massive fuel loads required for flights exceeding 20 hours. A large portion of the onboard fuel serves simply to transport the extra fuel reserves, which diminishes efficiency. To offset these operational expenses, airlines target major financial centers such as Singapore, New York, London, Sydney, and Doha.
Pricing Strategies for Premium Cabins
Because very few carriers possess the specialized fleet required for these ultra-long routes, operators maintain pricing power. Fares on non-stop services can exceed 10’000 francs, running roughly 20 percent higher than equivalent journeys involving intermediate connections. John Strickland, an aviation expert and former network planner for British Airways, points out that the business model relies entirely on a high-paying, premium clientele seeking to shave up to four hours off total travel time by bypassing intermediate hubs.
