Future of aviation or flight from hell?

The arrival of 20-hour flights is scheduled for 2025, but the added speed will come at a cost

- Ellias visontay

From late 2025, Qantas hopes to run the first of its "Project Sunrise" flights - up to 20 coast of Australia to Europe and the US east coast.

Australia's national carrier has trumpeted the flights as "the final frontier of aviation", but health and industry experts hold concerns for the passenger experience and question whether eliminating a stopover will ultimately increase aircraft emissions.

Qantas first announced its vision to run the ultra long-haul routes in 2017, but Covid pushed back the predicted 2022 launch. With global aviation booming again thanks to the post-pandemic hunger for travel, Project Sunrise is firmly back on the agenda.

The airline already runs non-stop flights from Perth to London and Rome, which have proved popular despite costing more than traditional services that stop over in Asia.

Qantas runs Boeing 787s from Perth to Europe, and has used that aircraft for a test flight on the Sydney-London route, but it said Project Sunrise would rely on the superior fuel efficiency of Airbus's A350-1000.

The airline has ordered 12 of the aircraft to be fitted out with 232 seats - far fewer than the usual configuration of 300 to 350 seats - so the planes can carry the extra fuel needed to travel roughly 18,000km without stopping.

With fewer potential customers per flight, Qantas will court the high-end market, with 40% of the cabin to be "premium seating". Each plane will have six first-class suites, 52 business suites, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 standard economy seats at the rear. First class berths will feature a two-metre bed, personal wardrobe and 81cm television in each suite, which will be 50% larger than the suites on the airline's existing A380s. Business class will have generous legroom and privacy walls.