It may seem to the interested observer that Qantas has been talking about launching direct non-stop flights between Sydney and London since time immemorial. With 12 ultra-long-haul Airbus A350-1000s on order from the manufacturer, services were originally supposed to start on the so-called ‘Project Sunrise’ services from Sydney to London and Sydney to New York in 2025.
However, due to delays in the construction of the aircraft themselves and the manufacture of the bespoke interiors that will be used on the 20-plus hour nonstop flights, that service commencement date was pushed back in early 2024 until 2026. Now, according to Qantas, the carrier expects the delivery of its first A350-1000 in late 2026, with the launch of Project Sunrise now delayed until early 2027.
But with the first aircraft arriving in late 2026, this begs the question as to why after such a long wait are the ultra-long-haul services being delayed by several more months. There is, of course, a relatively simple answer to this. To operate a daily schedule of flights 18-22 hours in duration to any given destination, an airline would require at least three aircraft to achieve this. However, Qantas is not expecting its third A350 until the spring of 2027 at the earliest, rendering the launch of Project Sunrise impossible until then.
In the meantime, Qantas has now revealed the first confirmed destination for its first A350 once it arrives with the carrier at the end of 2026. To the dismay of many who have eagerly been awaiting the launch of direct London service for years, the first destination to be served by the aircraft will be Auckland in New Zealand, a mere three hours’ flying time from Sydney.
Although this decision may be nonsensical to many readers, it is actually a common practice in commercial aviation with airlines using the first of a new type of aircraft on short-haul services initially, before using them to their full capabilities later on. This has been seen in the recent past with Iberia and its new Airbus A321XLR and was also done by IAG partner British Airways using its then-new A350s on intra-European services.
The purpose of introducing long-haul types on short-sector flights is multifaceted. The practice allows for air crews, newly trained on the type, to hone their skills on live flights, get the know the aircraft, and understand the best way to operate it. Equally, cabin crew can get familiar with providing inflight services from unfamiliar galley layouts, while engineers and ground crew all get the opportunity for familiarisation with the aircraft, and what needs to be done on each turnaround.
Speaking at a recent Airbus briefing in Hamburg, Germany, Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson confirmed that the newly announced trans-Tasman flights would help train pilots and cabin crew on the new jets before the second and third aircraft arrive following which Project Sunrise flights to London can finally begin.
Qantas’ A350-1000s, when they do finally start flying passengers in 2026, will feature new cabins that are expected to set a new trend in ultra-long-haul travel, even for those flying in economy class.
The aircraft will accommodate just 238 passengers, which is far fewer than the average A350 in service currently (in fact, French Bee’s A350-1000s carry 480 passengers in a high-density two-class configuration). Qantas’ aircraft will have four classes of service, including six first-class suites, 52 lie-flat business class seats, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 economy seats. The seats in economy class will feature 33 inches of pitch, which is higher than the average 30-32 inches on other airlines in their economy cabins.
As well as featuring high-speed internet connectivity at each seat, the aircraft will also uniquely feature a dedicated onboard wellness zone, allowing passengers to get out of their seats and stretch out on what will be the longest flights in current commercial airline service.
The A350-1000 is the largest variant of the A350 family, and with the optional additional fuel tanks added, as selected by Qantas, the aircraft can operate flights far greater in length than other aircraft have been able to. While the prospect of Project Sunrise flights is beginning to loom larger over the horizon now, those eager to try out the new aircraft will have to settle for a short hop to Auckland in the meantime.