Qantas QF10 Review: London to Perth (Economy, 787-9 Dreamliner)
Qantas QF10 Flight Review in Economy from London to Perth - 17 hour trip on the 787-9 Dreamliner. Check-in, seat comfort, multiple food services, and jet lag.
The QF10 route: London Heathrow to Perth non-stop - 14,500 km, the longest 787 route in the world.
QF10 is Qantas's direct service from London Heathrow to Perth, operating on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. It is the third-longest commercial flight in the world at 17 hours. When it launched in 2018 - replacing a longer stopover routing via Dubai and Melbourne - Qantas positioned it around the Dreamliner's air-quality advantages: higher humidity, more oxygen, less recycled air, and a lighter meal philosophy designed to reduce the physical toll of long-haul travel. This is an economy class review of the outbound LHR to Perth leg.
Check-in at London Heathrow
Qantas QF10 departs from Terminal 3 at Heathrow. I arrived around three hours before departure - there was almost nobody at check-in at that point, which made the process very smooth. The Economy section is easy to find from T3 arrivals. I asked about an on-the-day upgrade to Premium Economy. The agent told me the flight was fully sold out before departure day - no upgrades available. Not surprising; this route regularly flies full.
Qantas operates a pre-screening gate hold before boarding: passports and visas are checked in a designated holding area before the general boarding sequence begins. I was held for around 20 minutes. It is organised and not stressful - just factor it into your gate arrival time.
Gate and Pre-Boarding
What was visible of Business Class and Premium Economy through the aircraft door looked spacious and fresh. Economy boarded by row number after Premium cabins. The Dreamliner interior has a noticeably higher ceiling than most wide-body economy cabins - it does not feel oppressive even when the overhead bins are full.
The Economy Seat
The 3-3-3 configuration on the Dreamliner is standard for long-haul economy. I was in Row 49 - roughly halfway through the cabin. What surprised me was how comfortable the seat was relative to expectation: decent lumbar support, reasonable pitch, and movable headrest wings. Every seat came with a pillow, a blanket, cheap over-ear headphones, and an amenity pack with eye mask, toothbrush and earplugs.
The standout feature is the foot net: a mesh bag attached under the seat in front, into which you slip your feet to take the weight off your lower back. It genuinely makes a difference on a 17-hour flight. Even at six feet tall, it is more spacious than most long-haul economy seats I have used.
The caveat: I could not sleep well on this outbound leg. Despite the foot net and the comfort, I managed only a couple of 30-minute naps. My legs were sore on arrival. On the return journey I chose a bulkhead seat, which was substantially more comfortable for sleeping. If you are booking the return, bulkhead or exit row is worth the seat selection fee for a flight this length.
In-Flight Entertainment
The IFE screen runs to around 10 inches. There is a small flip-down tray to rest a tablet, though it is not very secure - mine fell off when the person in front reclined sharply. The selection of TV and film was genuinely well-stocked and up to date.
Food and Drinks
Food is where QF10 economy genuinely delivers. The first service comes early - a drinks round with a choice of wine, spirits or soft drinks, accompanied by a snack pack. I went for a gin and tonic. The Qantas long-haul meal philosophy is built around balanced, lighter meals that complement the Dreamliner's lower-pressure environment rather than sitting heavily.
The in-flight food and drinks menu for the economy cabin.
The main course choices were a chicken salad, penne pasta or a Guinness beef stew, served with wine and a rhubarb and ginger tart dessert. I chose the beef stew. The portion looks modest, but it is filling and the vegetables were well-seasoned. Around the halfway point - roughly 8.5 hours in - a shorter mid-service delivered a hot calzone pizza, fresh fruit, and an ice lolly. Self-service drinks and snacks were available throughout.
Breakfast Before Perth
About three hours before landing, cabin lights come up and a wake-up drink of apple and ginger is served - a touch that works well to bring you round gently after whatever sleep you managed. Breakfast arrived around 2.5 hours out from Perth. Cumberland sausage was unremarkable, but the rest of the plate was genuinely good - whoever oversees the seasoning on this flight takes it seriously. Full English with proper flavour at altitude is not something you can take for granted.
Arrival in Perth, Western Australia
Customs and immigration in Perth was fast - under 10 minutes, and my bag was already circling when I arrived at the carousel. Perth Airport is well-designed for arriving passengers. Transfer to the city takes around 20-25 minutes by Uber; the Airport Link Train is an equally good option if you are connecting to Perth Station. Build in the usual post-long-haul time buffer regardless.
Final Thoughts
The Dreamliner's air quality advantage is real. Despite getting almost no proper sleep on the outbound leg, I had no red eyes, no scratchy throat, and none of the dehydration symptoms that usually follow a transatlantic or trans-European night flight. The multiple food service cycles make the 17 hours pass more naturally than a standard long-haul economy product. The foot net is a genuine differentiator. The inability to sleep properly remains the main weakness - and that is partly a seat-selection problem that a bulkhead seat on the return solved. If you need to get to Perth without a stopover, QF10 does the job better than most long-haul economy products.
Verdict
The Dreamliner advantage is real.
Better food, better air quality, and a foot net that actually helps. Sleep is the main challenge on 17 hours - a bulkhead seat on the return sorted it.
7.0/10
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