Both USA-based Boeing and Europe's Airbus are focusing on ways to satisfy Australia's Qantas' demands for an aircraft that can fly non stop from Australia's east coast to ports in Europe and the east coast of the USA.

Boeing’s vice-president and general manager of the 777X program Eric Lindblad said an enhanced ultra-long-range version of the B777-8 might be able to carry a full passenger load on non-stop services from Sydney to London and New York.

 

Meanwhile, Airbus has met with Qantas and confirmed it is focused on an A350 variant.

 

Qantas challenged Airbus and Boeing to meet its request earlier this year.