Pacific Flights Map

Your Comments (2)

• 

  Kimmy R

  30 December 2011 at 03:51 | #

  Are those the only flights that are available to Australia? Will the technology be available soon for non-stop flights? Aren't planes getting more efficient all the time?

  reply
  • 

    James Avery

    30 December 2011 at 03:57 | #

    These are the only flights to Australia and New Zealand which don't involve a change of plane.
    
    Yes, the technology is getting better, and it is possible for current aircraft to reach Perth non-stop. However, to do so means the capacity has to be reduced, so more business class seats than would otherwise be offered. Although Perth is a big industrial centre, there aren't any direct flights there, let alone non-stop ones.
    
    Ultra long haul flights have to carry a lot more fuel just because of the additional weight of the fuel that will be used later in the flight. So the longest flights in the world at the moment - Singapore and Hong Kong to New York, operate as business class only services. The problem with the so-called 'Kangaroo' route is that European airlines and QANTAS (Australia) and Air New Zealand are under intense competition from carriers based in the Gulf, who have much lower costs. So BA stopped direct flights to Melbourne a few years ago, and from March next year, QANTAS will only offer Australia flights via Singapore, not direct via Hong Kong or Bangkok.

    reply