On Tuesday, millions of people watched online as an Airbus aircraft operated by Qantas landed in Toulouse, France. The plane had just completed a marathon‑style flight: taking off from Melbourne, Australia, it flew 12,460 nautical miles non‑stop in 24 hours and 24 minutes.
Yet no passengers were on board this specially modified aircraft. It was a test for the airline’s highly anticipated Project Sunrise, which aims to launch the first non‑stop flights between Sydney and London starting next year.
This route will become the world’s longest commercial passenger air route and usher in a new era of ultra‑long‑haul flying. It also raises a host of questions: How can an aircraft fly so far without refuelling? How do humans endure so many hours in the air? And would anyone even want to take such a journey?
Here are some answers.