Qantas to reveal first 787 route, with London to Perth on the cards

Qantas plans to unveil its first route using Boeing's 787 at the end of this year and is considering a direct London-Perth link that would rank among the world's longest flights. The carrier, set to receive its first 787 next year, also still intends to defer deliveries of its remaining eight A380s on order from Airbus Group SE, CEO Alan Joyce said Friday. "We are continuing to push them out," he said. The range and fuel-economy of the 787, also known as the Dreamliner, has led Qantas to consider other possible connections such as Brisbane-US, Melbourne-Dallas and Sydney-Chicago, Joyce said. The carrier is holding talks with airports in state capitals across the nation about what infrastructure is required to support new Dreamliner routes. "There are plenty of different options," he said. The London-Perth connection would rival the current longest flight in the world - Emirates' Dubai-to-Auckland link, which is scheduled to switch to using the A380 from October 30. <br/>