Qantas has confirmed an order for 12 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, which will enable it to launch nonstop flights from Sydney to cities including New York and London by the end of 2025.
As we reported yesterday, the A350-1000s are part of a major Airbus order which also includes 20 A321 XLRs and 20 A220-300s, as well as purchase rights for a further 94 aircraft through to at least 2034.
Qantas first announced Project Sunrise back in 2017, and had hoped to launch nonstop flights between the east coast of Australia and cities including London, Paris and New York by 2022.
But the Covid-19 pandemic led to significant delays to these plans – indeed in May 2020 it was reported the carrier had indefinitely postponed the project.
Qantas said that the new A350-1000s would be configured with a total of just 238 seats across economy, premium economy, business and first class, “with more than 40 per cent of the cabin dedicated to premium seating”.
First class will offer a separate bed, recliner lounge chair and personal wardrobe, while a new premium economy seat will have a seat pitch of 40 inches, and a new economy seat will offer a seat pitch of 33 inches. There will also be a “next-generation” business class suite.