First ever non-stop flight from Australia to UK touches down

Qantas' 14,498 kilometre (9,009-mile) journey from the Perth to London is the world's third-longest passenger flight. Picture: Getty Images

The maiden flight of a new non-stop regular service between Australia and the UK has arrived at London Heathrow.

Qantas 9 (QF9) touched down at terminal three at 5:02am yesterday, just over 17 hours after setting off from Perth. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner completed the 9,226-mile journey to arrive slightly earlier than the scheduled arrival time 5:10am.

The UK’s longest non-stop regular passenger flight will set off back for Perth at 1:15pm on Sunday.

The route is 24 per cent further than the UK’s existing longest service operated by Garuda Indonesia between Heathrow and Jakarta.

The new link with Perth is around three hours quicker than routes which involve stopping in the Middle East.

Western Australia’s premier Mark McGowan was among more than 200 passengers to arrive on the flight.