Tickets for Quantas’ highly anticipated non-stop service from London to Australia have been snapped up quickly following huge demand from customers.
The first tickets for passengers wanting to make the 9,000 mile journey in a single 17-hour stint went on sale last Thursday.
Travel agents said that although the service does not launch until March 2018, demand for tickets has broken records.
The first flight in both directions is almost sold out, the West Australian reported.
Luke Chittock, of Amity Travel, told the newspaper that the non-stop flight had generated the greatest amount of interest of any new service.
“I have never seen a flight like this generate this much demand. I knew it would be popular but this has exceeded my expectations,” Mr Chittock said.
Tickets start at just over £1,095 return for economy class and flights will begin on March 25, 2018.
The airline will use its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner planes, which carry 236 passengers, to ferry people between London and Perth, in Western Australia.
Perth - in pictures
Speaking prior to the ticket launch, Qantas chief executive officer Alan Joyce said: “The opportunities this opens up are huge.
“It's great news for travellers because it will make it easier to get to London.
“It's great news for Western Australia because it will bring jobs and tourism.”
A Qantas spokesman said: “Like most airlines, our booking system loads schedules and fares almost a year prior to departure, so each day new flights become available for booking with plenty of options for customers wanting to travel on our new Perth-London direct service.”
