Latest news with #ProjectSunrise
Telegraph
18-05-2025
- Telegraph
Everything you need to know about taking an ‘ultra long haul' flight
By the end of 2026, it should be possible to fly direct from London to Sydney in around 20 hours aboard an A350-1000. Codenamed 'Project Sunrise', Qantas's plan to cut flight time between the two cities by up to four hours (compared with those that include a stopover) has been nine years in the making. The airline has reportedly invested around $4.4 billion into 12 new planes to make this journey – alongside another route between New York and Sydney – as comfortable as possible, while an extra fuel tank means the aircraft can fly for up to 22 hours. But, though London-Sydney is scheduled to be the world's longest ultra long haul flight, it's far from the first. Back in 1936, a Pan Am flight from San Francisco to Hawaii took more than 19 hours to reach its destination, despite flying less than 4,000 kilometres. It wasn't until 2004 that ultra long haul (ULH) flights as we know them took off, with Singapore Airlines's route between Newark and Singapore Changi clocking up more than 15,000 kilometres. Though very long flights briefly fell out of favour with rising fuel costs, the airline now operates what's currently the longest route in the world: JFK to Singapore Changi. But what does taking an ULH flight mean for you, your body and your wallet? Find out below… What is an ultra long-haul flight? Officially, the term applies to any non-stop flight which is more than 16 hours in duration – of which there are currently around 30, though most originate or land in the United States. There are also flights from Doha to Auckland, Shenzhen to Mexico City and Paris Charles de Gaulle to Perth, while Qantas already operates a non-stop one between Heathrow and Perth, with a flight time of just under 17 hours. As well as being easy and convenient for passengers, ULH routes have benefits for airlines, too. For example, they usually have more first and business class seats to cater for business travellers and leisure passengers willing to pay a higher price to ensure greater comfort. Even in economy, tickets are likely to be more expensive than journeys with multiple legs: the cheapest direct flights from London to Perth in October 2025 at the time of writing were £1,833; add a stopover in Singapore and the price drops to £1,139. 'ULH flights disproportionately attract premium travellers,' says the founder of aviation consultancy firm BAA & Partners, Linus Benjamin Bauer. 'With business class and premium economy yielding more per seat than economy, these routes can materially lift overall profitability. The production and implementation cost of a premium economy seat is 1.6 times higher than that of an economy class seat, yet it generates 2.3 times higher revenues than its production cost.' Qantas may also be hoping that its new route will cut competition from Middle Eastern and Asian carriers with well-used stopover hubs. How do you pass the time? Love movie marathons? You're in luck. On Qantas's new route, you could potentially watch as many as 13 feature-length films – and you won't even need to pack snacks (these will be available in self-service fridges onboard). Served meals, however, can feel few and far between when flying ultra long-haul. On Singapore Airlines' 19-hour JFK-Singapore route, there's (tray) table service for only dinner and breakfast, with light snacks in between. The good news is there's a lot more than 'chicken or beef' to eat on these flights. 'Meal services are being re-engineered,' says Bauer. 'For example, lighter, low-inflammatory meals with adjusted timings help modulate melatonin levels and align with passengers' destination time zones – a practice pioneered by Qantas and Singapore Airlines.' What's it like to sleep on board? First and business class passengers should have no problem getting some rest. Bauer says airlines are engaged in an 'arms race in premium comfort' and cites Qatar's business class QSuite, which comes with doors, mood-lighting and fully lie-flat beds, as the cream of the crop. On Qantas's new planes, specially-designed first class cabins are like small, but very sleek, bedrooms, complete with dining areas for two and comfy beds with flexible backrests. Business class passengers will sleep in lie-flat beds, and premium economy passengers get footrests and 40-inch seat pitches. But, while the cheapest seats will have 33-inch pitches, shelves for iPads and free Wi-Fi to help the time pass more quickly, spending 19 hours in economy still doesn't look like a particularly enticing prospect. There may be another issue with shut-eye too. According to the Sleep Foundation, 'the circadian clock takes about 1-1.5 days to adapt per time zone crossed,' so it could take more than nine days to recover from an ULH flight between London and Sydney. A stopover in the Middle East means a more gentle adjustment and gives passengers the opportunity to seek out daylight and fresh air en route, both of which can help with jetlag. Are ultra long-haul flights bad for your health? Operators are keen to do whatever they can to make ULH flights as comfortable as possible. 'It's not just an amenity issue – it's a strategic imperative to justify premium pricing and mitigate health and fatigue risks,' he says. 'Some carriers are piloting AI-driven in-flight wellness apps that adjust lighting, and offer hydration reminders and stretch routines based on biometric feedback.' Qantas's new planes will even have 'Wellbeing Zones' available to all passengers, featuring stocked fridges and 'movement areas' with guided exercises. Lights have been designed to 'optimise the circadian effects of different times' across all the cabins. With so much being done to mitigate the ill effects of ULH travel, it may be tempting to skip the ankle and neck rolls and regular jaunts through the cabin that physiotherapists so often advise. Don't. Flights lasting longer than 10 hours pose the greatest risk of DVT according to the American Society of Hematology. Meanwhile, easy exercises such as the ones recommended by physiotherapist Helen Davison in this article should help keep aches and pains at bay. What can passengers do pre- and post-flight to mitigate any ill effects? Embrace drink – just not the alcoholic or caffeinated kind. Experts suggest people can lose up to two litres of water on long-haul flights. Liquids can help keep headaches and joint swelling at bay and electrolyte sachets could help too. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority advises moving bed and waking times in the weeks before flying, in order to more easily adjust to a new time zone. Passengers can also use an online jet lag calculator to find out the best times to seek out sunlight on arrival. There's no better excuse for a spa treatment either. At the Sofitel London Heathrow, guests can book an hour-long Jet Lag Recovery massage that starts with work on the legs and feet (and may help with puffy, achy ankles), before moving on to a tension-relieving back and shoulder massage and rehydrating facial. Will we see more ULH routes? Definitely – but not from the UK in the near future. According to Bauer, 'Singapore Airlines and Qantas are exploring new non-stop services to secondary North American cities such as Boston, Chicago and Miami,' while 'Air India, under its Tata-led transformation, is evaluating a direct Delhi–Los Angeles route'.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The seats passengers will use for the 20-hour flight that will become the world's longest
There's long-haul – then there's flying non-stop from New York and London to Sydney, a 10,000-mile (16,000km), 20-hour journey that Qantas will offer from 2027 and is calling "the final frontier of aviation". The Australian carrier has dubbed the new service Project Sunrise and ordered modified Airbus A350-1000 aircraft to operate it. What's more, these planes – following extensive scientific research by Qantas into ultra-long-haul flights which included several test runs of the route – will have unique interiors with fewer seats (238 vs over 300 on a regular A350) that are designed to offer maximum comfort levels, from hotel-suite-style first-class berths to "wellness zones". Here's a tour of the cabins that passengers will be seated in for the time-zone-touring flights… First class The Project Sunrise A350 will feature six first-class cabins in a 1-1-1 configuration that will be veritable airborne hotel suites, judging by the renderings. They will offer 50 percent more space than the Qantas A380 first berths, the carrier claims, and feature a 6ft 5in flat bed (one inch longer than the A380 first-class bed), separate reclining armchair, a work and dining space for one or two people, and a full-length wardrobe. Movies will be enjoyed on a 32-inch screen with Bluetooth connectivity and privacy is guaranteed, thanks to 4ft 6in-high walls and a sliding door. Business class On paper, the 1-2-1-configured business-class cabin for the epic flight approaches the luxuriousness of the Qantas A380 first-class suite, with a 25-inch-wide seat (one inch wider than the A380 business-class seat) that transforms into a 6ft 5in bed. Privacy, meanwhile, comes courtesy of 3ft 9in-high walls and a sliding door. Within the cocoon, passengers will watch movies and shows on an 18-inch screen (that's two inches bigger than the Qantas A380 and Dreamliner's), store belongings in an upholstered glovebox and inside a leather ottoman – and park cocktails on a shelf to the side of the seat. Premium economy Upgrade to premium economy for the globe-crossing flight and you'll enjoy a "generous" 40-inch seat pitch, winged headrests and a calf rest, along with a 13.3-inch entertainment screen. On the storage front will be three pockets for personal items, while devices can be charged using USB-C ports. Qantas says that in the brand-new premium cabin, "every detail has been carefully considered". Economy This is the class that could well make or break Project Sunrise, as it will be the least roomy, of course, and the one that the majority of flyers will use. So, what's in store at the back of the plane? "A cabin with your utmost comfort in mind," claims Qantas, which points out that the seats, arranged in a 3-3-3 pattern, have a 33-inch pitch and a six-way adjustable headrest, and that the screen is the same size as the one in premium economy – 13.3 inches. Beneath this screen is a nifty-looking folddown shelf for personal devices that passengers will surely appreciate. The wellness zone All passengers will be able to access an onboard "Wellbeing Zone", located between the economy and premium economy cabins. Qantas describes it as "a dedicated space to optimise wellbeing throughout the flight". Within is a "movement space" with padded walls for "comfort leaning" and a self-serve bar stocked with "premium refreshments".
West Australian
08-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
The destinations Qantas boss Vanessa Hudson says cash-conscious customers are choosing
Qantas' budget airline Jetstar is making the most of the humble toastie as chief executive Vanessa Hudson says customers still have the cash to travel but are picking bang-for-buck destinations such as Vietnam, Bali, Thailand and Japan. By balancing inventory of the easily-prepared snack, depending on the time of day on flights she said Jetstar was saving on wastage and picking up extra ancillary revenue from in-flight services. 'We provide in-flight toasties on Jetstar for a price . . . we put more toasties on a flight that is a late flight going to Bali so you don't run out,' she told the Macquarie Australia Conference in Sydney on Thursday. 'But on the return flight it's a night time flight and not many people are shopping for toasties, so we don't load so many and don't waste a lot. 'We've saved Jetstar both significant waste but have also boosted our revenue as a result.' Ms Hudson hinted there would be 'a number of initiatives' launched soon that would drive Jetstar's efforts to pick up more revenue from channels outside of tickets sales. She was quizzed about the initiatives and the national carrier's rehabilitation on the final day at the conference, where she declared that — after a period of turbulence post-COVID — the airline's on-time performance was 'the best it's ever been' as the company readies for the launch of its ultra-long haul flights from Australia. Ms Husdon called out strong demand for non-stop flights from Perth to cities in Europe as a positive harbinger for Project Sunrise, which is due to launch next year. She said it was also representative of a broader trend in airline travel that those who could afford it wanted a more premium travel experience. 'We're continuing to see Perth to London perform really well, we're continuing to see Perth to Europe, Auckland JFK doing really well,' Ms Hudson said. 'That's a combination of this consumer demand wanting to travel in a premium cabin as much as it is about consumers wanting to go from point to point, and they're prepared to pay a premium for that service.' Qantas would need to keep delivering value on those flights, however, or risk losing the right to charge a premium, Ms Husdon said. The airline flies without stopping from Perth to London, Paris and Rome and this week launched direct flights to Johannesburg and Auckland. Direct flights from Sydney to London and New York are due to begin in 2027. For those with less cash to spend on travel, Ms Husdon said demand had not been dampened but customers were focusing choices on destinations that provided better value. 'By putting capacity into those destinations — like Thailand, like Vietnam, like Bali and also Japan — we've actually seen . . . demand for low fares travel grow,' she said. 'One-third of the customers that flew on Jeststar flew for less than $100 one-way, in an environment where there is an intent to travel but pressures from cost of living, that is a great thing.'
India Today
06-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
20-hour non-stop flight from Sydney to London set to be world's longest. Know more
Qantas Airways Limited, the national carrier of Australia, has revealed a revised launch date for the globe's first non-stop flight from Sydney to London, which will take to the skies in the first half of 2027. The flight will last more than 20 hours and cover a distance of 17,015 km, as reported by Time Out. Qantas has dubbed it Project Sunrise, since the travellers will see two stunning sunrises on the its debut, this will be the world's longest non-stop passenger flight. The current record holder is Singapore Airlines' direct flight from Singapore to New York, which is about 15,300 km in about 18.5 make the nearly day-long journey more comfortable, Qantas will introduce 12 brand-new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The usual seating capacity of 300 will be reduced to 238 to allow for more legroom. A dedicated "wellness zone" will be installed between the economy and premium cabins, accessible to all passengers. This area will feature on-screen exercise programs, stretch handles, and hydration stations. First-class travellers can expect an armchair and a bed, together with sliding doors, an individual wardrobe and storage, and a 32-inch HD monitor. They will also get a tablet for controlling lighting, temperature, and business class will have a 25-inch-wide seat that can be converted into a 6-foot-5-inch bed, The Independent UK reports. Each private suite has 3-foot-9-inch-high walls and a sliding door, with an 18-inch screen for in-flight economy travellers will have a 40-inch seat with winged headrests, a calf rest, and a 13.3-inch screen. In economy, 3-3-3 seats are provided, with a 33-inch pitch, six-way adjustable headrest, and the same 13.3-inch in-flight entertainment screen as in premium Watch
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
World's longest non-stop flight set to launch in 2027: Sydney to London in one go
Qantas Airways is set to redefine long-haul air travel with the launch of its groundbreaking " Project Sunrise " in 2027. This ambitious initiative will introduce the world's longest non-stop commercial flights, connecting Sydney directly to London and New York. Spanning approximately 17,800 kilometers, the Sydney-London route is expected to take around 20 hours, marking a significant milestone in aviation history. The Airbus A350-1000, which has been particularly designed to handle ultra-long-haul flights, is the foundation of Project Sunrise. 238 passengers in four classes—First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy—will be able to travel on each aircraft. Notably, premium seating takes up more than 40% of the cabin, guaranteeing increased comfort on lengthy flights. Read more: 7 summer escapes in India that aren't in the Himalayas First-class suites will feature individual cabins with a 32-inch entertainment screen, a closet, a bed, and a recliner chair. Additional legroom and ergonomic seats will be available in Premium Economy and Economy classes, while business-class travelers may anticipate lay-flat mattresses with privacy walls. To lessen the impacts of extended air travel, a special "Wellbeing Zone" will be available to all passengers, offering areas for movement, stretching, and refreshment. Combating jet lag Recognizing the difficulties associated with long journeys, Qantas has worked with experts from the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney to create methods to reduce jet lag. These consist of specially designed lighting patterns for the cabin, tryptophan-rich meals to encourage sleep, and supervised in-flight workouts. To promote passenger mobility and circulation, the Wellbeing Zone will have stretch grips, contoured wall panels, and on-screen workout routines. Operational considerations To maintain daily services on these routes, Qantas requires a minimum of three Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, with deliveries expected to commence in late 2026. The airline has been facing quite a few delays due to various regulatory requirements necessitating design modifications for extended fuel capacity. However, despite these challenges, Qantas remained committed to launching Project Sunrise in early 2027. Read more: Vietnam proposes 10-year Golden Visa program to boost trade and tourism While Project Sunrise promises unparalleled convenience, it also brings economic and environmental considerations. Operating ultra-long-haul flights is resource-intensive, with increased fuel consumption due to the weight of additional fuel required for non-stop journeys. Qantas aims to offset these factors by utilizing more fuel-efficient aircraft and exploring sustainable aviation fuel options. Ticket prices for these routes are anticipated to carry a premium, reflecting the enhanced services and operational costs involved. Project Sunrise represents a significant leap forward in connecting distant parts of the globe, effectively shrinking travel time between continents. By eliminating stopovers, Qantas offers passengers a more streamlined and comfortable travel experience. As the airline prepares to embark on this ambitious venture, Project Sunrise stands as a testament to innovation and the evolving landscape of global air travel. Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
