Jetting non-stop from Sydney to London will soon be a reality, with the ambitious Project Sunrise by Qantas taking shape. These ultra-long-haul flights will allow passengers to fly from Australia to London for up to 22 hours, cutting off about four hours of travel time compared to current services, which require a stop. Flights are set to launch in October 2027, but first, there’s still a lot that needs to be done, including test flights. And, as part of these tests, Airbus will be sending their A350-1000ULR on a huge journey from Toulouse to Melbourne next week, pushing it to the very limit of its 22 hour range. This test flight is scheduled to arrive in Melbourne at 11am on Friday, July 24.
Qantas A350-1000ULR test flight from Toulouse to Melbourne
Specifically manufactured for Project Sunrise, the A350-1000ULR is able to fly distances of up to 18,000 kilometres, thanks to an additional 20,000 litre fuel tank at the centre rear. This flight to Melbourne will be its biggest test yet.
Throughout the testing phase, the Airbus team will monitor things like fuel flow, and certify components like the new air galley cooling system. The flight to Melbourne will be fitted out with ‘dummy’ passengers, who will generate the heat of real people.
Once the tests are complete, the aircraft will be dressed up in Qantas colours, and fitted out for passengers.
What to expect on the plane
Qantas has ordered 12 of these planes, and each of them will seat 238 passengers across four cabins. There will be six First Class Suites, 52 Business Suites, 40 Premium Economy seats and 140 Economy seats.
Focusing on Economy, because let’s face it, that’s where most of us will go, you can expect a seat pitch of 83.8cm (or 33 inches). The seats have a multi-layer memory foam for lumbar support, as well as a calf rest for full leg cradling. The headrest can be adjusted in six ways, and the wool upholstery was chosen for its breathability and temperature.
Upgrade to one of the 42 Economy Plus seats for extra leg room. Meanwhile, the Premium Economy seats have a 1 metre seat pitch (the distance between seat rows), and an adjustable winged privacy headset.
The plane will also have a dedicated Wellbeing Zone, where you can stretch, follow guided movements on monitors, and grab a snack or a drink. To help reduce jet lag, the aircraft also has 12 lighting scenes, which are grounded in circadian-rhythm science.
Non-stop flights between Sydney and London will take off from October 2027, with tickets on sale from February. After that, Qantas will launch services between Sydney and New York.
What about Melbourne?
According to Executive Traveller, Qantas pilots and crew will get familiar with the new fleet by running modest flights between Melbourne and Sydney. While these flights won’t carry any passengers, these shorter trips will help the pilots practice vital procedures like take-off, landing and taxiing.
Sadly, it doesn’t seem like any ultra-long haul flights from Melbourne are on the cards at this stage.
