LONDON— British Airways (BA) is preparing to restore its London Heathrow Airport (LHR)-Melbourne Airport (MEL) service in January 2027, creating one of the longest journeys in its network.
The new operation will route through Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), with the complete return journey taking almost 24 hours.
The oneworld carrier will begin the service on January 9, less than five months after confirming the route.
British Airways will operate the service daily with Boeing 787-9 aircraft, giving passengers a new same-aircraft option between Britain and Australia via Malaysia.
British Airways to Restore Melbourne Flights
British Airways last served Melbourne around two decades ago, making the return an important expansion of its Australia network.
The airline will operate through Kuala Lumpur rather than Singapore, which was the intermediate stop used on the route two decades ago.
Flight BA33 will leave Heathrow at 9:10 p.m. and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6:05 p.m. the following day. The aircraft will then depart Kuala Lumpur at 7:45 p.m. before reaching Melbourne at 6:40 a.m. the next morning.
The return BA34 will leave Melbourne at 4:35 p.m. and reach Kuala Lumpur at 9:35 p.m. It will depart Malaysia at 11:15 p.m. and arrive at Heathrow at 5:20 a.m. the following day.
British Airways Melbourne Schedule
| Flight | Route | Departure | Arrival | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA33 | London Heathrow-Kuala Lumpur | 9:10 p.m. | 6:05 p.m. +1 | Daily |
| BA33 | Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne | 7:45 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. +1 | Daily |
| BA34 | Melbourne-Kuala Lumpur | 4:35 p.m. | 9:35 p.m. | Daily |
| BA34 | Kuala Lumpur-London Heathrow | 11:15 p.m. | 5:20 a.m. +1 | Daily |
The Melbourne-Heathrow journey is scheduled to take 23 hours and 45 minutes, making it British Airways’ second-longest route. Its Sydney-Heathrow operation remains longer, with some westbound flights taking as much as 24 hours and 25 minutes.
Boeing 787-9 Fleet
British Airways plans to use two configurations of its Boeing 787-9 fleet on the Melbourne route. The aircraft have either 215 or 216 seats, with differences in their premium cabins.
The 215-seat configuration contains eight First Class seats, 38 Club Suites, 39 World Traveller Plus seats and 130 World Traveller seats.
More than one-fifth of the aircraft’s capacity is therefore allocated to First and Business Class.
The airline’s scheduling data indicates that the newer 215-seat configuration will operate a substantial share of flights during the first months of the service.
That could give some passengers access to British Airways’ newer Club Suite product on the exceptionally long journey.
Europe Australia Demand
British Airways is returning to Melbourne as demand between Europe and Australia remains significant.
Around 1.3 million round-trip passengers traveled between Europe and Melbourne during the 12 months to June 2026, according to booking data cited in the reference material.
London Heathrow was the largest individual airport market, accounting for approximately 264,000 round-trip passengers during that period.
Most travelers currently rely on one-stop connections through major hubs such as Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Singapore.
British Airways’ service will add another option while maintaining the same flight number across the Kuala Lumpur stop, Simple Flying flagged.
The airline will also have fifth-freedom rights on the Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne sector, potentially allowing it to serve passengers traveling between Malaysia and Australia.
The route will strengthen British Airways’ position in a competitive Europe-Australia market, where carriers are increasingly adding long-haul services and one-stop alternatives.
With a daily schedule and a journey approaching 24 hours, the Melbourne operation will also rank among the most demanding routes in the airline’s network.
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