Qantas locks in launch date for Sydney-London nonstop flights as it debuts the custom jet designed for the trip

By Jake McGowan, CNN

Toulouse, France (CNN) — For nearly a century, commercial airlines have chased one of aviation’s ultimate goals: connecting Sydney to the opposite side of the planet in a single, uninterrupted flight.

Now, Qantas is on the verge of making that a reality as it moves its highly anticipated Project Sunrise into its final stage, with non-stop flights from Sydney to both London and New York moving closer to takeoff.

This week, the Australian carrier unveiled its first Airbus A350-1000ULR — the groundbreaking ultra-long-range aircraft that it will operate on the flights — at Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Toulouse, as it announced that the inaugural Sydney-to-London service will launch in October 2027.

CNN aviation expert Richard Quest, who attended the event, described it as a pivotal moment for the European aerospace company — comparable to the debut launch of the A380 superjumbo with Singapore Airlines nearly two decades ago.

“The fact that Airbus has put so much into this tells you how significant this is,” Quest said.

Over two days, Airbus shuttled journalists between the company’s test facilities and the first production aircraft in Qantas colors, while executives and engineers held a series of briefings on everything from the economics of ultra-long-haul flying to aircraft design and the science of mitigating jet lag.

“No stone was left unturned,” Quest said. “The CEO was there, the chairman was there, the investors were there, the chief pilot was there — the CFO was available.”

For Airbus, Quest said, the aircraft represents more than just another widebody.

“This plane is a flagship,” he said. “They’re building up this idea of the A350-1000ULR flagship, and I think that’s significant.”

‘Tyranny of distance’

Named in a nod to the airline’s historic World War II flights, Project Sunrise is focused on what’s called ultra-long-haul travel, promising to reduce travel times and push the limits of commercial aviation.

For Qantas, the effort is the latest chapter in a mission dating back more than a century.

“The objective of solving this tyranny of distance we’ve talked about, that is what Qantas was founded on,” Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson told CNN. “That mission you could say has been there ever since.”

To make these journeys of up to 22 hours possible, Qantas has ordered 12 specially modified Airbus A350-1000 jets. Airbus engineers added an extra fuel tank and extended the aircraft’s range by approximately 1,000 nautical miles, allowing the planes to fly routes that were once technically impossible.

Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner called the aircraft the next big step in long-haul travel.

“We see ourselves as a technology leader, as an innovator leader in the industry,” Wagner said. “We wanted to take up the challenge that Qantas put on us.”

However, surviving nearly an entire day in the air demands a total redesign of the passenger experience.

To combat the physical toll of the journey, Qantas is configuring these aircraft to carry significantly fewer passengers than standard A350s — just 238, compared to the standard 400 — leaving more space for those on board.

The planes will feature a wellness zone designed to encourage movement and stretching, alongside lighting systems engineered to gradually align travelers with their destination’s time zone and ease jet lag.

First class will see suites arranged in a 1-1-1 configuration across the cabin, each featuring an 80-inch flat bed and separate armchair, plus a full-length wardrobe. In business, there will be 52 suites in a 1-2-1 format, with sliding doors on each. Premium economy will include 40 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration while economy will accommodate 140 passengers in 3-3-3.

A matter of national pride

Qantas argues that the appeal of the flights is already proven. The airline has spent years operating some of the world’s longest routes, including Perth to London and Auckland to New York.

“Project Sunrise has not been based on a leap of faith that customers will want this,” Hudson said, pointing to strong commercial performance on those ultra-long-haul services. “Those routes are delivering some of the highest customer satisfaction of any flight that we have.”

The first modified aircraft has already completed its maiden test flight and deliveries are scheduled to begin next year. If all goes according to plan, Qantas is poised to usher in a new era of global connectivity.

For travelers, it means bypassing exhausting layovers. For the aviation industry, it represents the final frontier of global flight. And for Qantas, it’s a matter of national pride.

“I hope that Australians will be very proud of what Qantas, their national carrier, has done,” Hudson said. “This is a test of the ingenuity within the organisation, the capability of the organisation. But it’s also about Australian character of being able to really have a mission and go after it.”

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