Qantas seeks final airplane bids for London-Sydney nonstop service

The globetrotting dream of flying nonstop from London to Sydney has taken a step closer, according to Australian airline Qantas, which says it'll soon choose the aircraft it'll use to complete the journey. Alan Joyce, CEO of the Australian airline, confirmed he had issued an August deadline for manufacturers Airbus and Boeing to make their "best and final offer." A modified version of Boeing's upcoming 777-8 and two iterations of Airbus's A350 are in the running for Qantas's "Project Sunrise" program to establish the air link by 2023. "We're hoping by August to have that proposal in and the price of the aircraft in and the guarantees of the aircraft performance, engine maintenance and aircraft performance," Joyce said. Both Airbus and Boeing were tasked with coming up with a suitable aircraft for the ultra-long-haul journey back in 2017 -- a task that requires manufacturers to push fuel efficiencies to new levels. Qantas aims to launch its first nonstop flights from Sydney to London in 2023. The chosen airplane must be capable of meeting the "Project Sunrise" criteria of carrying more than 300 passengers, with a four cabin configuration, from Sydney to London. The 17,000-kilometer, 21-hour journey would steal the crown for the longest scheduled nonstop passenger service from Singapore Airlines, which claimed it in October 2018 with a relaunched Singapore to New York flight.<br/>