THE 'SUNRISE' OF ULTRA-LONG-HAUL AIR TRAVEL

Qantas's Project Sunrise draws inspiration from the airline's legendary 'Double Sunrise' flights during World War II. As the airline prepares to transform long-haul travel by establishing non-stop connections between Australia and Europe, the airline recently unveiled the special seats for this 24-hour, ultra-long-haul flight. NIDHI SHARMA reports on the developments.

- NIDHI SHARMA

Few aviation projects have generated as much excitement and intrigue as Qantas's Project Sunrise. Inspired by the airline's historic 'Double Sunrise' flights of World War II, this bold initiative aims to revolutionise long-haul travel by connecting some of the world's most distant cities with non-stop flights. It was in 2017 that Qantas announced that it is pushing the boundaries of modern aviation, challenging industry norms, and redefining what's possible in air travel. At the heart of Project Sunrise is a daring yet simple goal: to operate non-stop commercial flights between Australia's east coast—specifically Sydney and Melbourne—and major global cities such as New York and London.

With this ambitious endeavour, the linchpin of Project Sunrise is the Airbus A350-1000, a cutting-edge aircraft, engineered to conquer the immense distances these ultra-long-haul journeys demand. The airline recently unveiled the new upper-class cabins it will offer. Qantas has meticulously designed the A350-1000 cabins to prioritise well-being. A deliberate choice to limit passenger capacity to just 238, significantly fewer than typical configurations, ensures ample space for all. Forty per cent of the available seating will be allocated to premium cabins.

"Welcome to Australia in the sky." That's the tagline of a Qantas commercial created by filmmaker Baz Luhrmann (Elvis, The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge) to kick off the airline's new brand campaign. And with the airline's Project Sunrise ultra-long-range flights scheduled for 2026, flyers will be spending up to 20 hours in the sky.