It's the flight route set to be the longest in the world, with passengers expected to endure at least 20 hours in the air non-stop before reaching their destination
On Monday, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce confirmed rumours that direct flights between Sydney and Melbourne to London and New York will begin in late-2025.
Signing on the dotted line with Airbus to manufacture 12 of its A350-1000 aircraft for the ultra-long-haul journeys, the aircraft will be capable of "flying direct from Australia to any other city in the world".
Chief Executive Officer of Qantas Airways Alan Joyce (2nd R) stands in front of the A350-1000 which will be used for flights to London and New York.Photo / AFP
Joyce said the first Sydney-London flight (aside from the airline's test flights) will depart in late 2025 and take about 20 hours, making the route the world's longest passenger flight.
"The A350 and 'Project Sunrise' will make any city just one flight away from Australia," Joyce said on Monday.
"It's the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance."
Joyce, who planned on signing off on the purchase of the A350-1000s in 2020, was forced to pull back from the dotted line as the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world.
"We have had to make a significant change to our business in order to survive," Joyce said of the time.
"Of the past two years, we have gotten there because of the tough decisions that were made. Days like this don't just come around. They have to be earned. Qantas always needed to transform to survive … we were 11 weeks from going bankrupt in 2020."
But Joyce said the wait will be well worth it when Project Sunrise finally takes to the sky in 2025.
While the airline has not yet released costs for the ultra long haul flights, some industry experts have already hinted that fares will likely be more expensive for an economy seat than with a layover.
Dr Tony Webber, a former chief economist at Qantas who now leads the Airline Intelligence Research group and works at the University of New South Wales' aviation school, told The Guardian fares could be around AU$300 more per leg than one with a layover.
Inside the new Qantas First Class cabin. Photo / Qantas via news.com.au
Qantas revealed on Monday that more than 40 per cent of the cabin on its A350s will be "dedicated to premium seating", in addition to its "wellbeing zones" — and that the cabin will have room to carry just 238 passengers — which is around 100 seats less than competitor airlines, making the cabin much roomier and "luxurious" than usual.
"First class will have a designated bed, a designated seat away from the bed and a wardrobe. It will be the best, I believe, first-class product out there," Joyce said.
"We will have a new business class offering, and the premium economy as well which we will launch a bit later. The economy class has the biggest seat of any economy class we have ever launched."
Passengers will be encouraged to move around the cabin. Photo / Qantas via news.com.au
Joyce said given the length of the flight the aircraft will be used for, there will also be a designated workout area for people to exercise and rehydrate with digital displays to provide movement recommendations and even a self-serve snacking station.
"It's an area we believe is very important for people travelling this ultra-long haul," he explained.
The suite within the aircraft is for first-class flyers. Photo / Qantas via news.com.au
But Joyce said passengers gearing up for ultra-long haul flights will be provided with more than just the product while in the air.
"We have also pulled together a wellness program with the universities here in Sydney to design the experience on the ground, in the air and on arrival so that people travelling don't feel the impacts of jet lag," he explained.
"It's a unique IP that no one in the world has developed and it will allow us to offer a product that's just amazing for people to experience."
The long-range jets will have 238 passengers in total across four cabins: six in first class, 52 in business, 40 in premium economy, and 140 in economy.
