QANTAS AIRWAYS

A Qantas 787 Dreamliner was taken out of service in Rome after bedbugs were discovered in the front of the economy cabin following the Perth–Rome QF5 flight on 9 October. The aircraft was deep-cleaned and the Rome–Perth service on 10 October was cancelled; affected passengers were accommodated and rebooked within 48 hours. Qantas said cabins are cleaned regularly and treated with disinfectant every 50 days, while experts say bedbugs were likely brought onboard in luggage or clothing and are difficult to eradicate. » More on theguardian.com

Qantas will offer direct flights from Sydney to New York starting mid-2028, which are expected to take around 18 hours. The airline will use specially modified Airbus aircraft with an additional 20,000-liter tank; it has ordered twelve planes with capacity for 238 passengers. The plan is part of the "Sunrise" project, which also includes direct flights to London, and follows a sharp rise in demand between Australia and New York since 2023. Qantas shares traded higher at times. » More on finanzen.net

Qantas will begin selling seats next August for its first nonstop New York–Sydney service, due to start in 2028 with Airbus A350-1000 ULR aircraft and an expected flight time of about 18 hours. The carrier plans an even longer London–Sydney nonstop next October that could run about 20 hours. Qantas says strong demand from premium-paying customers and lessons from its Perth–London route underpin the expansion, and the A350-1000 ULR will offer first, business, premium economy and economy cabins plus measures to mitigate jet lag as part of Project Sunrise. » More on cnbc.com