The plane Qantas is depending on to fly its world’s-longest non-stop Sydney-London route has taken another step toward completion this week.
The first A350-1000 ULR, designed for Qantas’ ambitious Project Sunrise, has been transported from Airbus’ factory in Hamburg, Germany to Toulouse, France for final assembly.
Qantas, which will hold its annual general meeting on Friday, expects to begin world-first direct flights from Sydney to London and New York on non-stop 22 hour flights in 2027.
Qantas’s newest plane the A350-100 ULR, to be used on Project Sunrise, enters the Airbus assembly line in Toulouse.
“These flights will cut up to four hours off the journey and transform how people experience ultra long-haul travel, through science backed design to minimise jet lag and maximise wellbeing,” said Qantas Group chief executive officer Vanessa Hudson.
So far, the forward, centre and rear fuselage sections of the first plane have been assembled along with the wings, tail section and landing gear, the carrier said.
In Toulouse, it will have engines and flight test instruments installed before a test flight program begins in 2026.
The plane is the first of 12 A35-1000 ULR (for “ultra-long range”) aircraft scheduled for delivery late next year, with Project Sunrise services starting in the first half of 2027.
Qantas’ newest plane is advancing through the production process at the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France.
“Given Australia’s position in the world, Qantas has a long history of breaking aviation barriers,” Hudson said.
“Project Sunrise will not only overcome the tyranny of distance, it will fundamentally change the way our customers travel the world.”
Project Sunrise builds on Qantas’ historic competency in long-haul travel.
Its name is derived from Qantas’ “Double Sunrise” flights during World War II that helped keep Australia linked to distant allies.
The routes required 24 hours of flying, enough to remain airborne long enough for pilots to see two sunrises.
The design for the wellbeing zone on board Qantas’s A350.
The A350s will be specially configured for ultra-long haul flights, including a wellbeing zone with handles passengers can use to stretch, guided on-screen exercise programs, as well a hydration station, and lighting effects to help minimise the disruption to sleep patterns.
On Wednesday Qantas revealed plans for its refurbished International Business Lounge in Sydney to feature a 150-square-metre outdoor terrace “in a nod to pre-flight wellness” for Project Sunrise passengers.
The Australia-UK and Australia-US trips, when offered, will be the longest commercial flights in the world, taking the title from Singapore Airlines.
In August, analysts from investment bank Jarden estimated Project Sunrise could earn more than $400 million on a pre-tax basis per year for Qantas.
Qantas’ first-class cabins for the Project Sunrise flights will come with a 60-centimetre-wide reclining seat and separate two-metre-long bed.
Ten Cap portfolio manager Jun Bei Liu said that Project Sunrise represents a chance for Qantas to lift its game in its product offerings for the public.
If you look at global airline offerings in the last five years, they have improved significantly.
“Qantas, to be quite frank, hasn’t really kept up to date with a lot of the capital expenditure,” said Sydney-based Liu.
Although Qantas, like other airlines, had to weather the tough years during COVID, it’s really time for Qantas to uplift its fleet, Liu said.
If Project Sunrise is successful, she expects the yields to improve. There is also a chance Project Sunrise won’t be successful for Qantas, but it is pretty small, said Liu.
Qantas’ outlook
In the year to June 30, 2025, Qantas’ net income soared 28 per cent to $1.61 billion, helped by strong travel demand, which is expected to continue.
Underlying earnings reached $2.39 billion. Much of the Qantas Group’s growth has been led by economy brand Jetstar, which saw a 55 per cent increase in pre-tax earnings.
Hudson is working to rebuild trust in the Qantas brand – both internally and externally – after the damage sustained under ex-CEO Alan Joyce, in the chaotic COVID years.
Hudson has announced a fleet cabin refresh, taken delivery of needed narrow body Airbus planes, shuttered Singapore-based Jetstar Asia and redeployed those planes domestically.
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