We’re so used to flying long distances these days, that ‘mid-haul’ destinations like Dubai or New York have become popular for city breaks, and a 17 hour flight from Perth to London doesn’t seem all that far.
But now, Qantas, regularly named the world’s best airline, is taking things even further – literally.
Like the rest of the aviation industry, the Australian airline has had a turbulent few years, but it’s looking above and beyond by pushing forward with its long-awaited Project Sunrise.
The nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York are anticipated to be between 19 and 22 hours, which will cut passenger’s flight time down by up to four hours.
The name comes from the idea that passengers will see two sunrises as they travel along what will become the longest flight paths in the world, a record currently held by Singapore Airlines which travels 18 hours from Singapore to New York.
While getting from A to B faster is always a good thing, spending almost an entire day on board a flight is a daunting prospect.
Project Sunrise isn’t exactly a new ambition for the airline, with talks beginning in 2017. At the time, Qantas approached Boeing and Airbus, asking them to create an ultra-long-range version of their widebody aircraft.
According to Forbes, CEO of Qantas Vanessa Hudson, said the new extra-long flights will allow Australians ‘break out and see the world on the A350’ and will help the company work towards its ultimate goal of making Australia ‘closer’ to the world.
Airbus ultimately won the design bid and, as a result, earned a large order of 12 ultra-long-range versions of the Airbus A350-1000. The aircraft were anticipated to take off in 2022, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they and Project Sunrise were pushed back to 2026.
But it will be worth the wait, it seems, as passengers will be flying in luxury. More than 40 per cent of the aircraft will have Premium cabins. That includes six first-class suites, 52 Business suites, and 40 Premium Economy seats, while the other 60 percent will have 140 Economy seats and a wellness space.
For those choosing to fly First class, you can more or less pretend you’re in a hotel room as you will be treated to ‘the pinnacle in comfort and luxury for ultra-long-haul travel’ with your very own enclosed room complete with a flatbed, reclining armchair, a workspace for one to two people, and a full-length wardrobe.
The suite also includes a 32″ touchscreen TV with Bluetooth capabilities and LED lighting. For those who enjoy breakfast in bed, the single bed has an adjustable backrest for added comfort.
It’s not all bad in economy though. It includes an entertainment touchscreen and USB-C charging capabilities, as well as access to the Wellbeing Zone, which features self-serve refreshments and a sculpted surface to support all your stretching needs.
A Qantas spokesperson at a recent event in LAX said: ‘The space will accept between 8 and 10 people for stretching their legs.’ The spokesperson added that while the area is accessible to all passengers, ‘it’s primarily for Economy passengers as they have the least space.’
So when exactly will the flight be available to book? And how much will it cost? Qantas is yet to release those details, but with 2026 getting closer and closer, it’s only a matter of time before passengers get their answers.
The end of hand luggage drama?
Qantas aren’t the only airline upgrading their planes.
Last year, Airbus, the leading manufacturer of commercial planes in the UK and Europe, announced that it would be retrofitting some of its planes to include the new and improved Airspace L bins.
These new bins will be more than half the size again of the previous A320 bins, offering 60% more room, and allowing space for three extra bags per bin. The trick here is that bags will be stowed vertically, not horizontally.
And now, it looks like passengers will finally see the new bins onboard as Lufthansa is the first airline to receive 38 of them in January 2025, just three months away.
Other European airlines, including Iberia and Swiss also said they’ll introduce the new bins.
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