With the news that within two years you might well have the chance to fly from London all the way to Perth on the west coast of Australia, we wonder if that sounds fantastic or like the perfect way to start a holiday in a foul mood!

Picture yourself sat down, next to the travellers from hell, while the person behind you has just proudly set up their seat defender and you have just realised that the entertainment system you have as your company for the next 18 hours is broken. You’ve told the cabin crew and they were very kind to you but sadly they aren’t going to upgrade you and the fact is that the economy seats are full, so you are just going to have to suck it up for the next 18 hours of your life as you try and sleep your way through the longest flight ever!

While the previous scenario is a worst case one, the prospect of going 18 hours on a plane is unlikely to be a big buzz for anyone (the longest current flights are about 16 hours long). The truth is that, more often than not, we like to think that it is all about the destination rather than the journey, but would you be prepared to sit on the same plane for 18 hours with no break just to get to Australia faster?

Having undertaken some pretty crazy flights (La Paz to London with three stops for instance), we know that the beauty of a direct flight is that it just gets you there so much faster but, in reality, is this going to make your holiday a better experience when the destination is so far away? Many people choose to break up journeys to Australia in Singapore, Dubai and even the likes of Japan in order to give them a break and to help combat the enormous time differences that they face when they get to Australia from the UK. Surely the chance to get off a plane to stretch your legs while taking in some sights for a few days still has an appeal over 18 solid hours on the same plane?

For me, part of the fun of huge journeys is the fact you get to see more than one place. Flights to Singapore and the like are not exactly cheap, and the deals you can get on stopover hotels are often wonderful. So, although we know many of you fancy the idea of just getting there, for now we are going to sit on the fence while this news plays out!