Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) is in no rush to place an order for ultra-long-haul aircraft to operate its so-called Project Sunrise flights and could defer the announcement to early 2020, Chief Executive Alan Joyce told reporters after a test non-stop flight from London Heathrow to Sydney Kingsford Smith.

Qantas previously expected to formalise its Project Sunrise plans by the end of 2019.

The Australian airline is tentatively planning to launch direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne Tullamarine to New York and London in 2023, subject to the delivery of aircraft by that time. It is believed that Airbus is proposing the A350-1000 while Boeing was originally competing with the B777-8 but will likely put forward an alternative option given the delays marring the B777X programme.

The two test flights, from London Heathrow and New York JFK, were operated using B787-9s with a very limited number of passengers and no cargo.

The Project Sunrise flights would also require new agreements with the unions and Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority, given the time spent in the air by the crew.

The great circle distance from Sydney to London Heathrow is 9,188 nautical miles (17,016 kilometres), over 10% longer than the world's longest currently scheduled route from Singapore Changi to New York Newark (8,285 nautical miles or 15,344 kilometres).