Qantas has taken another major step toward launching its ambitious Project Sunrise program after the first Airbus A350-1000 intended for those operations rolled off the final assembly line in Toulouse. This marks a significant milestone for a project first unveiled nearly a decade ago, with the first nonstop flights between Australia’s east coast and both London and New York scheduled for 2027.
The Australian carrier has released images of its first aircraft from the series, now fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. The aircraft is still carrying the French test registration F-WZNK, and following its rollout from final assembly it will undergo a series of ground tests before joining Airbus’ flight test program, expected to last around two months.
Delivery of the first aircraft to Qantas is expected by the end of this year. Before entering service on ultra long haul routes, the aircraft will operate shorter and medium haul services within the Qantas network. This will allow for additional crew training, operational preparation, and ground staff familiarization ahead of the launch of Project Sunrise flights.
The project is designed to make possible, for the first time, direct commercial flights between Sydney and London Heathrow, as well as Sydney and New York JFK. These services will last up to 22 hours, cutting total travel time by as much as four hours compared with current one stop options.
The name Project Sunrise was not chosen by accident. Qantas is directly referencing its own history from the Second World War, when it operated the famous “Double Sunrise” flights between Australia and Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. Those journeys were so long that passengers could witness two sunrises during a single trip. In the same historical spirit, the airline’s 12 ordered A350-1000s will be named after stars and constellations.
Qantas first presented plans for Project Sunrise in 2017, and throughout the development phase it carried out research flights to study the physical effects of ultra long haul travel on both passengers and crew. The findings were then used to help shape a cabin designed to provide a higher level of comfort and better onboard conditions during flights lasting nearly a full day.
The specially adapted A350-1000 ULR will feature an additional 20,000 liter fuel tank in the rear center section of the aircraft, a key requirement for missions of this length. The cabin will be configured for 238 passengers, significantly fewer than on typical versions of the type, in order to provide more personal space and a greater level of comfort across all travel classes.
The cabin interior was developed in cooperation with industrial designer David Caon and sleep science specialists from the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney. The aircraft will therefore include a dedicated wellness zone, stretching and movement areas, hydration stations, and lighting designed to reduce the effects of jet lag.
According to Qantas, Project Sunrise will not only reduce the effective distance between Australia, Europe, and North America, but also change the way passengers experience ultra long haul flying. For an airline that has long built part of its identity around overcoming Australia’s geographic remoteness, the project represents a new milestone in the evolution of long haul air travel.
With the first A350-1000 now out of final assembly, Project Sunrise has entered its final phase before service entry. After years of development, testing, and preparation, Qantas is getting closer to the moment when its longest planned routes become a reality.
