Latest news with #KangarooRoute
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
See the history of Qantas' famous 'kangaroo route' from Australia to England that once took 12 days but will soon take just hours
Qantas' historic "kangaroo route" is a prime example of aviation innovation over the past century. It dates back to 1934 when tiny biplanes began hopping 12 days between Australia and the UK. Project Sunrise will launch the historic trek nonstop come 2027, which will last up to 21 hours. The business of flying people from point A to point B has evolved over the decades from small rickety prop planes to massive jetliners capable of carrying hundreds of people. Among the most famous examples of this progress is Qantas' "Kangaroo Route" between Australia and the UK. Early versions of the over 12,000-mile journey first operated in the mid-1930s, and the route is still going strong today — but it's about to travel even faster. What was once a 12-day and up-to-31-stop route is set to become a 21-hour nonstop journey by 2027. The Sydney to London flight is poised to become the world's longest route thanks so a specially equipped Airbus A350. Qantas' International and Freight CEO Cam Wallace told Business Insider the ultra-long-range plane will "unlock the ability to fly nonstop from Australia to anywhere in the world." The unofficial Kangaroo Route started as an airmail service in 1934. The first version of the Kangaroo Route was an airmail operation flown by Qantas Empire Airways, where both Qantas and Britain's Imperial Airways each had about half a stake. In 1934, QEA started flying between Brisbane and Singapore via Darwin, which then connected to England. It was a precursor to today's codesharing partnerships. Passenger transport began in 1935, and the route took 12 days. The airmail route quickly morphed into weekly passenger flights in 1935. Qantas flew the leg to Singapore, where travelers connected to London on Imperial. The series of snaking connections included up to 31 stops, including overnights, across Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The trek from Brindisi in Southern Italy to Paris was via train. The long journey — which was reserved for wealthy flyers as tickets cost £195 one-way (about $15,250, adjusted for inflation) — was still faster than the six-week option by boat. Flying boats were introduced in 1938 to shave off time. QAE's Short Empire flying boats were launched in 1938 and cut the flying time by several hours. The flights were rocky and rough due to turbulence and a lack of weather radar. After the fall of Singapore in 1942, World War II halted the kangaroo service. A truncated Kangaroo Route was revived in 1943 with the 'Double Sunrise.' Qantas' modified route connected Australia to England via Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) instead of Singapore. The nonstop Ceylon flight across the Indian Ocean lasted up to 33 hours and is still the longest commercial flight in history by time. The route used Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boats, followed later by Liberator planes, the latter of which were the first to sport Qantas' kangaroo logo. Converted war-era bombers took over the re-established route in 1945. Qantas operated the portion between Australia and Karachi, Pakistan, using Avro 691 Lancastrian aircraft. Its partner, the British Overseas Airways Corporation, or BOAC — which is an early version of British Airways — took over for the rest of the trip to London. The trek took about 70 hours. Qantas reverted the Ceylon portion of the route back to Singapore after the war. Qantas fully took over the route in 1947 and trademarked "Kangaroo Route." The airline used 29-seat quad-engine Lockheed Constellations to reduce flight time to about 55 hours across seven stops and four total travel days. Tickets were £525 (about $22,600, adjusted for inflation). "When the Kangaroo Route launched in 1947, it opened a new frontier for aviation," Wallace said. In 1954, Qantas received its first Super Constellation. These carried more people and further reduced travel time. Qantas introduced the Boeing 707 in 1959. Thanks to its more powerful jet engines, Qantas' 707 aircraft could carry up to 90 people and make the trek to London in 27 hours. It was the first Jet Age aircraft bought by Qantas. The Boeing 747 cut flying time to less than a day in 1971. The famous 747 jumbo jet flew from Australia to London via a single stop in Singapore. From 1979 to 1985, Qantas operated an all-747 fleet, complete with comfortable seats and an exclusive lounge and bar. The Airbus A380 complemented the 747 beginning in 2008. The A380 currently flies from Sydney and Melbourne to London, with a stop in Singapore. The route previously went through Dubai. The mammoth A380 complemented the 747 fleet for decades until the iconic "Queen of the Skies" was officially retired during the pandemic in 2020. Qantas' Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners began flying nonstop between Perth and London in 2018. It was the first nonstop passenger service connecting Australia with the UK, but it was only for Perth. Key destinations in Eastern Australia, like Sydney and Brisbane, still lack nonstop service. Deep-pocket travelers can experience the famous Kangaroo Route for $30,000 in 2026. Tour company Captain's Choice is flying a one-off tourist trip in February 2026 to nearly mirror the Kangaroo Route as it was in 1947 — hops included. Seats start at about $30,000. While Qantas is not pricing or selling any of the tickets, it is operating the Airbus A330 charter plane. Project Sunrise is expected to launch in 2027 in a full-circle moment for Qantas. The up-to-21-hour and 10,000-mile flight will officially eliminate the "hop" from the historic Kangaroo Route. Project Sunrise will include two ultra-long-haul routes using a fleet of purpose-built A350-1000ULRs: Sydney to London and Sydney to New York. Qantas is introducing new cabins on the A350s. Qantas's A350 will have just 238 seats and will boast four different cabins — including economy, premium economy, and enclosed business and first-class suites. The airline announced in late February that the plane would enter final assembly in September, followed by flight testing and delivery in the second half of 2026. Read the original article on Business Insider
CNN
10-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Sydney to London with 7 stops along the way? Qantas' historic Kangaroo Route is back (sort of)
The year is 1947 and the world is continuing its long crawl out of the shadows of war. You're excited. You've been in Australia for decades, made a small fortune and finally have some time to visit your relatives back in England. Australia's national airline, Qantas, has just launched its first 'all Qantas' service from Sydney to London aboard its freshly acquired Lockheed Constellation planes. Referred to as the 'Kangaroo Route,' this is no ordinary point A to point B journey. Taking four days, it includes layovers in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Karachi, Cairo and Tripoli before arriving in the UK capital. (It's much quicker than the 10-day 'flying boat' trips that launched in 1938.) The plane only holds 29 passengers, alongside three pilots, one navigator, one radio operator, two flight engineers and three cabin crew. The price? A whopping £525, which would amount to around £17,400 (about $22,450) in 2025, according to the Bank of England's inflation calculator. Flash forward to today and travelers have a variety of flights to choose from to get between Sydney and London in under 30 hours, with a single stopover. But where's the fun in that? For those with a little more time and cash on their hands, luxury travel operator Captain's Choice has just launched a new 14-day tour called the 'Pioneering Spirit of the Kangaroo Route.' Taking off on February 3, 2026, it will follow a similar flight path as the one Qantas first wholly operated in 1947, promising guests 'a journey born of nostalgia, yet one enhanced by the conveniences of the modern era.' Passengers will fly on a chartered Qantas Airbus A330-300, making stops in Darwin, Singapore, Kolkata, Colombo, Cairo, Toulouse and Rome, staying in luxury hotels and experiencing the highlights of each destination along the way. 'It has been on my radar for many years to recreate this iconic route,' says Captain's Choice CEO Bas Bosschieter. 'The Kangaroo Route has a special meaning for Australians. We like to design truly unique itineraries at Captain's Choice and this one fits so well with our brand —- being experts in private travel, and given our association with Qantas. We have a long history with Qantas, with our first ever journey through Asia and Africa in 1994 taking place aboard a privately chartered Qantas 767.' Bosschieter notes that a considerable amount of time went into planning this journey alongside Qantas. He says they spoke to historical experts and will include some nods to the original route throughout the trip. 'Some of this is still being planned but will include retro merchandise, ex-Qantas pilots sharing their stories, and perhaps even having a Super Constellation at our welcome dinner,' he says. 'I recently spoke to someone who traveled to Australia on the Kangaroo Route, and we hope to include some of those stories throughout the journey too.' The price of the trip starts at 49,950 Australian dollars (about $31,000) per person and includes all meals, drinks, hotels, tours, transfers, tips and, of course, flights. Guests can tailor their stopovers to their personal interests and experience some VIP perks as well. For instance, in Sri Lanka they can meet a legendary Sri Lankan cricketer before an exclusive dinner at the prime minister's residence. In Rome, they will take an after-hours private tour of the Vatican Museum. Nearing the end of the trip, travelers will get an insider's tour of the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France, and a farewell dinner set under the wings of a Concorde jet. The hotels are as luxurious as one would expect at that price point. In Singapore, for example, they will stay at the Ritz Carlton Millenia. Bosschieter tells CNN that interest has been strong and the Business Class spots have already sold out. 'In Economy Class we are only selling 150 of the 269 seats to allow our guests to have more room to spread out,' he adds. 'This also means all guests will be seated in a window or aisle seat. With only one sector longer than 4.5 hours, guests will have time to enjoy Business Class catering throughout the aircraft and hand-selected wines and beverages from around the world.' Why is the trip so popular? The CEO says he thinks the Kangaroo Route taps into a sense of nostalgia for many Australians. 'It also highlights how far air travel and travel in general has come,' says Bosschieter. 'We will be able to recreate the route in a lot more comfort than those who originally traveled … It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.' The timing of the Captain's Choice trip is notable; 2026 is also the year Qantas plans to add another page to its aviation history book with the launch of its long in-development 'Project Sunrise,' a plan to operate the world's longest nonstop flights. The airline will offer flights from Sydney to London and New York that will be serviced by specially configured Airbus A350-1000 jets, with flight times of up to 20 hours. Project Sunrise was first announced by Qantas in 2017. The name was inspired by the secretive, danger-filled flights made from Perth to Sri Lanka en route to London during World War II. They lasted so long pilots saw two sunrises. In 2019, Qantas conducted three trial research trips to gather data to present to Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which needed proof that pilots, cabin crew and passengers can cope with up to 22 hours in the air. During these flights, pilots wore brainwave monitors and had their urine tested in the weeks before and after the journey to track levels of melatonin, a hormone that controls sleep cycles. Passengers in the main cabin wore monitoring devices, allowing scientists to study how their 'health, well-being and body clock' were impacted by a set of variables including lighting, food and drink, movement, sleep patterns and inflight entertainment. No launch date has been set, though Qantas says the first Airbus A350-1000 jets that will be used to service the ultra-long-haul flights are scheduled to arrive in mid-2026.
CNN
10-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Sydney to London with 7 stops along the way? Qantas' historic Kangaroo Route is back (sort of)
The year is 1947 and the world is continuing its long crawl out of the shadows of war. You're excited. You've been in Australia for decades, made a small fortune and finally have some time to visit your relatives back in England. Australia's national airline, Qantas, has just launched its first 'all Qantas' service from Sydney to London aboard its freshly acquired Lockheed Constellation planes. Referred to as the 'Kangaroo Route,' this is no ordinary point A to point B journey. Taking four days, it includes layovers in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Karachi, Cairo and Tripoli before arriving in the UK capital. (It's much quicker than the 10-day 'flying boat' trips that launched in 1938.) The plane only holds 29 passengers, alongside three pilots, one navigator, one radio operator, two flight engineers and three cabin crew. The price? A whopping £525, which would amount to around £17,400 (about $22,450) in 2025, according to the Bank of England's inflation calculator. Flash forward to today and travelers have a variety of flights to choose from to get between Sydney and London in under 30 hours, with a single stopover. But where's the fun in that? For those with a little more time and cash on their hands, luxury travel operator Captain's Choice has just launched a new 14-day tour called the 'Pioneering Spirit of the Kangaroo Route.' Taking off on February 3, 2026, it will follow a similar flight path as the one Qantas first wholly operated in 1947, promising guests 'a journey born of nostalgia, yet one enhanced by the conveniences of the modern era.' Passengers will fly on a chartered Qantas Airbus A330-300, making stops in Darwin, Singapore, Kolkata, Colombo, Cairo, Toulouse and Rome, staying in luxury hotels and experiencing the highlights of each destination along the way. 'It has been on my radar for many years to recreate this iconic route,' says Captain's Choice CEO Bas Bosschieter. 'The Kangaroo Route has a special meaning for Australians. We like to design truly unique itineraries at Captain's Choice and this one fits so well with our brand —- being experts in private travel, and given our association with Qantas. We have a long history with Qantas, with our first ever journey through Asia and Africa in 1994 taking place aboard a privately chartered Qantas 767.' Bosschieter notes that a considerable amount of time went into planning this journey alongside Qantas. He says they spoke to historical experts and will include some nods to the original route throughout the trip. 'Some of this is still being planned but will include retro merchandise, ex-Qantas pilots sharing their stories, and perhaps even having a Super Constellation at our welcome dinner,' he says. 'I recently spoke to someone who traveled to Australia on the Kangaroo Route, and we hope to include some of those stories throughout the journey too.' The price of the trip starts at 49,950 Australian dollars (about $31,000) per person and includes all meals, drinks, hotels, tours, transfers, tips and, of course, flights. Guests can tailor their stopovers to their personal interests and experience some VIP perks as well. For instance, in Sri Lanka they can meet a legendary Sri Lankan cricketer before an exclusive dinner at the prime minister's residence. In Rome, they will take an after-hours private tour of the Vatican Museum. Nearing the end of the trip, travelers will get an insider's tour of the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France, and a farewell dinner set under the wings of a Concorde jet. The hotels are as luxurious as one would expect at that price point. In Singapore, for example, they will stay at the Ritz Carlton Millenia. Bosschieter tells CNN that interest has been strong and the Business Class spots have already sold out. 'In Economy Class we are only selling 150 of the 269 seats to allow our guests to have more room to spread out,' he adds. 'This also means all guests will be seated in a window or aisle seat. With only one sector longer than 4.5 hours, guests will have time to enjoy Business Class catering throughout the aircraft and hand-selected wines and beverages from around the world.' Why is the trip so popular? The CEO says he thinks the Kangaroo Route taps into a sense of nostalgia for many Australians. 'It also highlights how far air travel and travel in general has come,' says Bosschieter. 'We will be able to recreate the route in a lot more comfort than those who originally traveled … It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.' The timing of the Captain's Choice trip is notable; 2026 is also the year Qantas plans to add another page to its aviation history book with the launch of its long in-development 'Project Sunrise,' a plan to operate the world's longest nonstop flights. The airline will offer flights from Sydney to London and New York that will be serviced by specially configured Airbus A350-1000 jets, with flight times of up to 20 hours. Project Sunrise was first announced by Qantas in 2017. The name was inspired by the secretive, danger-filled flights made from Perth to Sri Lanka en route to London during World War II. They lasted so long pilots saw two sunrises. In 2019, Qantas conducted three trial research trips to gather data to present to Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which needed proof that pilots, cabin crew and passengers can cope with up to 22 hours in the air. During these flights, pilots wore brainwave monitors and had their urine tested in the weeks before and after the journey to track levels of melatonin, a hormone that controls sleep cycles. Passengers in the main cabin wore monitoring devices, allowing scientists to study how their 'health, well-being and body clock' were impacted by a set of variables including lighting, food and drink, movement, sleep patterns and inflight entertainment. No launch date has been set, though Qantas says the first Airbus A350-1000 jets that will be used to service the ultra-long-haul flights are scheduled to arrive in mid-2026.
The Guardian
04-03-2025
- The Guardian
Beyond ordinary: the Australian operator redefining luxury travel
We travel in search of different things. Some of us seek adventure that gets the heart pumping and spirit soaring, while others want to unwind, immerse themselves in what makes a destination unique, and arrive home restored. In a world where true adventure is increasingly rare, Captain's Choice continues to chart new paths that offer unexpected experiences. Since its launch in 1994, this Australian tour company has curated unique itineraries that are inaccessible to the average tourist. Whether it's a private jet lunch stopover at Iguazu Falls in South America, a celebration of the historic Kangaroo Route from London to Sydney (you'll hop between eight cities on an itinerary packed with special events), or exclusive access to the feet of the Sphinx (not available to the general public), these experiences impress even the most well-travelled repeat guests. But where to go first? Let's take a look at three all-inclusive itineraries. This 16-day journey begins in Cairo, where you'll take an in-depth look at the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx before journeying on to Luxor to explore the tombs of Tutankhamun and Nefertari. A private dinner in front of the Temple of Ramses III sets the exclusive tone that defines the trip. From Egypt, you'll be whisked away to Kenya's Maasai Mara, where game drives will give you a front-row seat to lounging lions, majestic elephants and other wild animals in their natural habitats. A hot-air balloon ride at dawn offers a unique perspective of the savanna – wildebeest and zebra grazing below – and you'll stay in the sublime surroundings of an upscale wilderness lodge. The adventure continues in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, with a rare trekking opportunity to observe endangered mountain gorillas. Crouching mere metres from these amazing apes is a humbling experience that you'll talk about for years to come. Next up is Zambia, where you'll admire the thundering cascade of Victoria Falls from vantage points including a helicopter. From there, you'll indulge in a three-night sojourn aboard Rovos Rail's Pride of Africa, a privately chartered train journey that brings to life the romance of yesteryear. The expedition concludes in Cape Town, with a two-day exploration of Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. For those enchanted by the allure of the east, this 15-day journey is an immersion into the subcontinent's rich culture and history. Staying in accommodation that is positively palatial, and timed to coincide with the Diwali festival in October, the trip begins in Agra, where you'll take in the ethereal beauty of the Taj Mahal at both sunrise and sunset. In Varanasi, a private aarti ceremony on the Ganges River offers a spiritual experience, complete with the hypnotic rhythms of drums, intoxicating incense and the glow of oil lamps. The itinerary also includes a visit to Kochi, in Kerala, where you can choose between a cooking class to uncover the secrets of Keralan cuisine, a browse through Mattancherry's antique stores, or an indulgent Ayurvedic treatment. In Jaipur, known as the 'Pink City', a sunrise hot-air balloon flight provides panoramic views of palaces and forts, followed by visits to Amber Fort and the Hawa Mahal, the 'Palace of the Winds'. The journey culminates with a grand Diwali celebration at the opulent Oberoi Rajvilas, where you'll take part in the festival of lights in regal surroundings. This 18-day odyssey spans continents and cultures in style – you'll travel from London aboard a Boeing 757-200 with business-class seats that recline into lie-flat beds to ensure you arrive rested and ready for adventure. You'll first touch down in Ponta Delgada in the Azores, where volcanic landscapes and black-and-white architecture await. In Havana, Cuba, the vibrant streets and colonial edifices tell tales of a bygone era. You'll then choose whether to delve into the world of Cuban cigars or trace the footsteps of Hemingway through the city's historic haunts. Get ready to journey into the heart of the Amazon aboard a privately chartered river ship from Iquitos, Peru. Navigating remote tributaries, you'll encounter rainforest biodiversity, wildlife and indigenous cultures seldom seen by outsiders. The stark beauty of Chile's Atacama Desert offers an experience of a different kind, with its otherworldly landscapes and clear night skies. In Salvador, Brazil, the fusion of African and Portuguese influences creates a cultural mosaic showcased through music, dance and cuisine. The final leg includes a three-night stay at Reid's Palace, perched on a spectacular clifftop in Madeira, Portugal. Spend the next few days choosing your own adventure – an off-road jeep expedition, gourmet food tour, wine tasting and/or one of several guided walks. A farewell dinner in an historic military fort caps off this spectacular journey before guests travel – thrilled and invigorated – back to London. Discover more with Captain's Choice.
