"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-08-15T14:41:25Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/08/15/missing-australian-surfers-found-indonesia-lon-orig-cw.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="missing australian surfers found indonesia lon orig cw"
data-first-publish-slug="missing australian surfers found indonesia lon orig cw"
data-video-tags="asia,australia,brand safety-nsf crime,brand safety-nsf sensitive,continents and regions,crime, law enforcement and corrections,iab-crime,iab-extreme sports,iab-sports,iab-surfing and bodyboarding,indonesia,missing persons,oceania,southeast asia,sports and recreation,surfing,water sports"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
See the moment surfers are found after 38 hours lost at sea
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-08-15T02:50:33Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/08/15/rome-tourism-increase-julius-caesar-assassination-site-wedeman-pkg-nc-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="rome tourism increase julius caesar assassination site wedeman pkg nc vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="rome tourism increase julius caesar assassination site wedeman pkg nc vpx"
data-video-tags="argentina,assassinations,ben wedeman,brand safety-nsf health issues,brand safety-nsf sensitive,brand safety-nsf violence,brand safety-nsf war and military,continents and regions,coronavirus,diseases and disorders,domestic alerts,domestic-coronavirus,domestic-health and science,domestic-international news,europe,health and medical,iab-diseases and conditions,iab-infectious diseases,iab-lung and respiratory health,iab-medical health,iab-travel,iab-war and conflicts,infectious diseases,international alerts,international-coronavirus,international-health and science,italy,latin america,life forms,microscopic life,misc people,respiratory diseases,rome,south america,southern europe,the americas,tourism,travel and tourism,unrest, conflicts and war,viruses"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Why this assassination site has become a tourism hotspot in Rome
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-07-06T14:32:16Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/07/06/msg-sphere-las-vegas-led-travel-contd-jo-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="msg sphere las vegas led travel contd jo orig"
data-first-publish-slug="msg sphere las vegas led travel contd jo orig"
data-video-tags="business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,chemical industry and chemicals,chemicals and environment,consumer electronics,consumer products,continents and regions,domestic alerts,domestic-business,domestic-health and science,electronics,environment and natural resources,food additives,food and drink,food products,iab-business and finance,iab-consumer electronics,iab-environment,iab-food & drink,iab-industries,iab-science,iab-technology & computing,iab-technology industry,international alerts,international-business,international-health and science,kinds of foods and beverages,las vegas,lead (metal and element),nevada,north america,southwestern united states,technology,televisions,the americas,toxic and hazardous substances,united states"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
It seats 18,000 and cost over $2B to build. See Vegas' new venue lighting up the skyline
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-01-26T20:02:32Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/01/26/seattle-hot-tub-boat-space-needle-amazon-starbucks-boeing-innovation-spc.cnn"
data-branding-key="quests-world-of-wonder"
data-video-slug="Seattle hot tub boat space needle amazon starbucks boeing innovation spc"
data-first-publish-slug="Seattle hot tub boat space needle amazon starbucks boeing innovation spc"
data-video-tags="celebrities,continents and regions,domestic alerts,domestic-entertainment,international alerts,international-entertainment,north america,northwestern united states,richard quest,seattle,the americas,united states,washington (state)"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
This city has given us things we now can't live without
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-01-31T17:08:30Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/01/31/boeing-747-history-contd-mxb-lon-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Boeing 747 history contd mxb lon orig"
data-first-publish-slug="Boeing 747 history contd mxb lon orig"
data-video-tags="aircraft,aviation and aerospace industry,boeing co,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,companies,domestic alerts,domestic-health and science,iab-aviation industry,iab-business and finance,iab-industries,iab-science,iab-space and astronomy,international alerts,international-health and science,space and astronomy,space industry,spacecraft and satellites"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Boeing 747: How the 'Queen of the Skies' redefined the way we fly
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-01-30T12:46:56Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/01/30/algerian-coffee-stores-london-intl-giokos-cprog-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key="global-connections"
data-video-slug="algerian coffee stores london intl giokos cprog vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="algerian coffee stores london intl giokos cprog vpx"
data-video-tags="beverages,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,coffee,coffee and tea shops,consumer products,continents and regions,domestic alerts,domestic-international news,eleni giokos,england,europe,food and beverage industry,food and drink,iab-attractions,iab-bars & restaurants,iab-business and finance,iab-dining out,iab-food & drink,iab-food industry,iab-industries,iab-non-alcoholic beverages,kinds of foods and beverages,london,misc people,northern europe,restaurant and food service industry,restaurant industry,restaurants,united kingdom"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Why this London coffee shop attracts customers from around the world
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-01-15T23:49:01Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/01/15/jfk-airport-planes-close-call-schiavo-sot-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="jfk airport planes close call schiavo sot vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="jfk airport planes close call schiavo sot vpx"
data-video-tags="air transportation,aircraft,airports (by name),aviation and aerospace industry,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,commercial and general aviation aircraft,continents and regions,federal aviation administration,government organizations - us,iab-air travel,iab-aviation industry,iab-business and finance,iab-industries,iab-travel,iab-travel type,john f. kennedy international airport,misc people,new york (state),new york city,north america,northeastern united states,pamela brown,points of interest,the americas,transportation and warehousing,united states,us department of transportation,us federal departments and agencies"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Radar animation shows near-miss between 2 passenger planes at JFK
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-01-13T16:17:32Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/01/12/prehistoric-ostrich-eggs-israel-cprog-lon-orig-tp.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="prehistoric ostrich eggs israel cprog lon orig tp"
data-first-publish-slug="prehistoric ostrich eggs israel cprog lon orig tp"
data-video-tags="accidents, disasters and safety,anthropology and archeology,brand safety-nsf accidents and disasters,brand safety-nsf sensitive,continents and regions,fires,humanities and social sciences,israel,middle east,middle east and north africa"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
4,000-year-old eggs discovered near ancient fire pit
What does it feel like to spend 17 hours on board an airplane?
That’s what CNN Travel set out to discover when we boarded the Qantas jet making the first direct flight from Australia to the UK.
From copious cups of coffee to jazzy pajamas to state-of-the-art facilities, what followed was a whirlwind adventure that marks a new era for intercontinental voyaging to far-flung destinations.
Here’s what we learned on the groundbreaking journey across the globe.
1. It makes speed economical
Nonstop flight: The first ever direct flight from Perth to London hit the skies on 24 March 2018. The history-making flight travels direct across the globe in roughly 17 hours and 20 minutes.
Courtesy Qantas
Plane sailing: The flight is operated by Qantas, using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner -- apparently designed to reduce jet lag, turbulence and noise.
Courtesy Qantas
Economical option: At 14,498 kilometers long, the flight is the third longest commercial service -- and one of the most economical.
Courtesy Qantas
Milestone moment: Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says the flight "opens up a new era of travel." He says the flight has been designed to ensure maximum comfort for passengers.
Courtesy Qantas
Unforgettable experience: CNN Travel's Richard Quest and his team were on board the flight, ready to experience this new age of international travel.
Courtesy Richard Quest
Maximum efficiency: Four different pilots take it in turns at the helm to ensure they have plenty of time to rest and recuperate between shifts.
Courtesy Qantas
Maximum efficiency: The flight path has been designed to follow follow different flight routes depending on weather, to ensure maximum efficiency.
Courtesy Qantas
Australia to UK nonstop flight in photos
Back in the day, the original London to Australia flight was known as the Kangaroo service because it hopped to no less than seven stopovers over a period of four days. Now it’s a swift 17 hours – perfect for vacationers, expats and business travelers alike.
It’s not the world’s longest plane journey, but it’s one of the most economical.
You could always have connected Perth with London, using the Boeing 777-200 LR or the A350 500 or the Airbus A388, but you couldn’t do it economically.
What this aircraft – a brand new Boeing Dreamliner – does is allow you to fly Australia to the UK without forcing airlines or passengers to splash the cash.
A return fare from Perth to London can cost less than $1,300.
Meal times have been tweaked and perfect on board the flight.
Courtesy Qantas
Some long-haul flights think tinkering around with meal times and adding an extra snack in the middle is enough to compensate for the extra hours spend on board.
Not Qantas.
The airline has designed its London to Perth route flights (designated QF9 and QF10) to be as comfortable and as efficient as possible. In doing so, it’s gone back to basics.
First, it’s looked at the lighting in the aircraft’s interior and got Boeing to change some of the LED lighting so that it can create moods if necessary. It feels comfortable and spacious inside, no harsh aircraft lighting on board this flight.
3. Meals and food have been meticulously curated
The timing of the meals has also been carefully curated.
They’ve pushed the first meal back later in the flight, to make it closer to when you’re expected to sleep. That way, UK-bound passengers are getting their body clocks onto London time before they’ve even touched down in the UK.
The menu itself has been redesigned with lighter food to help passengers sleep better – for example, tuna rather than heavy meats.
4. Yes, there are a few gimmicks
Richard Quest in his special edition Qantas pajamas.
Courtesy Richard Quest
There are still some gimmicks. We tried out stretching and yoga classes in the business class lounge before we got on board. Quite a nice idea, but maybe not revolutionary.
I was given some limited edition pajamas – very eye-catching, they had the Qantas kangaroo on the front, but weren’t necessarily the most comfortable to sleep in.
There’s a larder on the back of the plane where passengers can help themselves to snacks. That’s not unique, but they made sure they were Aussie cheese and crackers and other local snacks, which is a nice touch.
4. It’s a step forward in the distance vs. fuel battle
Even the design of the wine glasses has a purpose.
Courtesy Qantas
With any flight, but particularly the ultra long hauls, it’s a battle between distance versus fuel. Most of the fuel on the plane is only being carried to carry the rest of the fuel needed to get to the end destination.
Qantas have made this plane as light as possible, redesigning all the cutlery and crockery. Wine glasses don’t have stems, cups and saucers are streamlined.
Small changes, but they make the flight smoother.
5. The Dreamliner is an ideal vessel
There are various components that make the Dreamliner ideal for a long haul flight. It has a higher humidity and a lower pressurization. The aircraft was designed for long haul routes.
This is supposed to help you feel less groggy when you disembark.
Yes, I was in business class, but believe me when I say you can feel the difference throughout the aircraft.
There’s no question. We saw it with Qatar Airways’ Doha-Auckland flight, you see it with Emirates’ Dubai-Auckland service.
Everybody now is taking advantage of the technological advancements of the Dreamliner and the A350.
Next year, Singapore Airlines is going to use the A350-900ULR to go from Singapore to New York – which will be the world’s longest scheduled route. They ran the flight until 2013 but stopped because of economic reasons.
So what these planes are doing is allowing very long haul flights at economic costs, they’re profitable.
There’s no question in my mind that we’re entering a new age, a golden age of aviation.
7. It’s all getting ready for Project Sunrise
Qantas is already planning how best to fly Sydney-London.
Courtesy Qantas
For Qantas, this flight is just the first step on the way to its so-called Project Sunrise – the next big thing in aviation.
It’s asked Boeing and Airbus to come up with a plane that can fly Sydney-London or Sydney-New York nonstop, economically.
A lot of the work it’s done on the QF9 and 10 is really designed for Project Sunrise, which will have 20 hour flights. They want to do it in all other weather conditions and as smoothly as possible.
Qantas is rethinking the role of the flight crew on board and what spaces are needed on an ultra long haul flight.
Do you need to have other space for them to relax when they’re not in bed or in the cockpit. If your flight is 20 hours, that’s a day. If people sit in Economy for 20 hours, do they need more space?
These questions should be answered when Project Sunrise takes off in 2021-2022. For now, we’ll make do with spanning the globe speedily and stylishly on the QF9 and QF10.
Francesca Street in London contributed to this story