Qantas to reactivate plans for Sydney-London flights when financial strength returns

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 it 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. When we are comfortable in doing it and have the financial strength to do it, we will be doing it.”

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

(This story corrects to add missing space in headline)

(Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Tom Hogue)