The world just got smaller as the first direct flight between Australia and the UK lands in London
At the weekend (March 25th 2018) history was made when Qantas Flight QF9 completed its non-stop 9,009 mile journey from Perth to London in just over 17 hours. This is a far cry from the earliest Qantas flights between the two countries, which originally took four days and required seven stops! In recent years there has been just one stopover, commonly in Singapore or Dubai, making the journey around 24 hours. But the introduction of the new ‘ultra long haul’ flight is what a lot of people have been waiting for.
Indeed, a couple who were amongst the 200 passengers on the inaugural direct flight enjoyed omitting the layover, saying that the trip “flew by” (pardon the pun!)
What does a non-stop flight between Australia and the UK mean for business globally?
Lots of things! On top of just getting to your destination 3 hours quicker, it has also seen the implementation of features in the plane that improve air quality and lower cabin noise. Excitingly, this new flight can also offer important improvements for businesses. A smaller world means easier communication, more meaningful relationships that span countries and continents, and in this case, more convenient travel.
In years gone by, expanding a business to the furthest most country on the planet would have either not been an option, or created endless hassle. Consider this – the International Space Station is only 240 miles above Earth, whereas the antipodes (opposite point on the globe) of any location is over 12,000 miles away!
Expanding your business abroad has never been more doable; advances in technology and travel mean that business trips and employee relocation are getting shorter and easier to achieve. Combine this with instantaneous email, video conferencing, cloud technology and a fairly reliable postal service and you’re able to work from anywhere and with anyone, with ease.
So, where will you and your business go next?!