Australian airline Qantas remains extremely keen on its ultra-long-range Project Sunrise flights. Qantas was weeks away from greenlighting the strategy and ordering new planes last year when the global travel downturn struck and curtailed its ambitions. Now, 12 months down the track, Qantas’ CEO has revealed he wants to kickstart Project Sunrise within the next year.
An ambitious strategy delayed, not dead
Project Sunrise is Qantas’ ambitious scheme to operate globe striding non-stop passenger flights using specially modified Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Qantas flagged non-stop flights between Australia’s east coast cities and New York, Rio de Janeiro, Frankfurt, Capetown, and London.
Qantas was just weeks from sealing the deal early last year when the travel downturn scuppered its plans. But the airline never dropped the idea. Instead, Qantas quietly put the strategy away into the top drawer and waited for the market to improve.
Now, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says he expects the airline to take Project Sunrise forward within the next 12 months. Speaking at an online CAPA Live event on Wednesday afternoon, Alan Joyce said he was revisiting the scheme.
“I think it is a great strategy for the new environment post-COVID and something that we continue to be excited about. What we have to do is get the right environment. I’m hoping within the next year.”
More to follow
