en.Wedoany.com Reported - British Airways announced its ultra-long-haul flight operation plan for 2026-2027 in April 2026. The Sydney to London Heathrow route, with a flight duration of 24 hours and 25 minutes, becomes the longest flight in the airline's network. According to British Airways' flight schedule data, this route operates daily. During the Northern Hemisphere summer, it is serviced by Boeing 787-9 aircraft, while in the peak winter season of the Southern Hemisphere, it switches to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to match capacity demands during peak travel periods. This route covers approximately 17,000 kilometers, requiring passengers to spend an entire calendar day in the air.

British Airways will restart its Melbourne service on January 9, 2026. This route includes a stop in Kuala Lumpur, with a total flight time of approximately 23 hours and 45 minutes, making it the airline's second-longest operational route. British Airways last operated the Melbourne route in 2006 using Boeing 747-400 aircraft. This resumption marks the airline's return to the capital of Victoria, Australia, after a 20-year hiatus. The new network also covers several destinations in South America. The Heathrow via Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires route has a flight time of 17 hours and is operated daily by Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.

In terms of non-stop routes, the London Heathrow to Santiago, Chile route has a flight time of 15 hours and 35 minutes, operating 3 to 4 times per week using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Multiple routes to Asia are also included in the plan: Shanghai Pudong to London Heathrow at 15 hours and 5 minutes, Tokyo Haneda to Heathrow at 15 hours, Hong Kong to Heathrow at 14 hours and 50 minutes, Singapore to Heathrow at 14 hours and 40 minutes, and Kuala Lumpur to Heathrow at 14 hours and 5 minutes. The Bangkok to London Gatwick route operates 3 to 5 times per week.

British Airways' current wide-body fleet includes Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-300ER, and Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Different models are deployed on various routes based on distance and seasonal passenger demand. The Sydney route switches to the higher-capacity Boeing 777-300ER in winter to handle Australia's peak summer tourism season. The Melbourne route with a stop in Kuala Lumpur addresses connection needs between Southeast Asian points and Australian destinations, with a single stop without changing aircraft.

This expansion of ultra-long-haul routes represents British Airways' most significant long-haul network adjustment since 2020. In addition to resuming Melbourne service, the combined Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires route provides daily service to the South American market. Among the Asian destinations, routes from Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore all originate from London Heathrow, while the Bangkok route uses Gatwick Airport as its London endpoint. Specific flight frequencies and aircraft types for each route have been incorporated into British Airways' global distribution system and are open for booking.

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