By Andrew Chen
Qantas Reveals Project Sunrise A350 Premium Cabins
Qantas has unveiled the premium cabins that will be installed on their new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. These jets are slated to enter service in 2025 and will be used on the airline’s ultra long-haul Project Sunrise flights.
The Australian flag carrier is configuring its A350-1000s with only 238 seats, in contrast to the typical 300+ seats seen on other airlines. This will make the Qantas jets the least densely configured A350-1000s in the world. The low-density configuration will allow the airline to lower the weight of the aircraft while offering passengers more space. Qantas A350-1000s will have six First Class seats, 52 Business Class Seats, 40 Premium Economy Class seats and 140 Economy Class seats.
In 2017, Qantas announced Project Sunrise, its effort to fly nonstop from the eastern Australian cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to destinations such as London, Paris and New York. In late 2019, the carrier operated Boeing 787-9 test flights from New York and London to Sydney.
However, Qantas announced that December that the Airbus A350-1000 was its preferred aircraft for Project Sunrise. In May of 2022, the airline formally placed an order for 12 Airbus A350-1000s with deliveries to commence in 2025. The airline plans to start nonstop service between Australia and London and New York late that year.
Qantas has recently revealed details of its A350 First and Business Class cabins. First Class will feature fully enclosed suites. Similar to those found on Singapore Airlines’ A380s, these suites will have a reclining seat with a separate two-meter fixed bed. They will also have a touchscreen seat controller, a dining table for two and a 32-inch ultra-high definition television. Passengers will also have numerous storage options with a full-length personal wardrobe and multiple other personal storage areas.
Qantas A350-1000 First Class suite rendering (Photo: Qantas)
Business Class seats on Qantas’ A350s will be lie-flat suites with sliding doors. The cabin will be in a 1-2-1 configuration, meaning that every seat will have direct aisle access. The seats will also be two meters long and feature a cushioned leather ottoman as well as an 18-inch ultra-high definition touchscreen television. Both First and Business Class suites will have multiple device charging options including USB-A, USB-C, AC power and wireless induction charging.
Qantas A350-1000 Business Class rendering (Photo: Qantas)
Qantas will also offer free high-speed Wi-Fi on its A350s, in partnership with Viasat. This offering will be a major step forward for the carrier, which currently only offers Wi-Fi on some domestic flights. The aircraft will also have Bluetooth technology that will allow passengers to connect their own wireless headphones to the aircraft’s in-flight entertainment system.
“Qantas has been the leader in opening up new long-haul flights for most of our history, and we’re bringing everything we’ve learned, both technically and in terms of passenger comfort, to Project Sunrise flying,” said Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce in a press release.
“We think our A350 cabins have the most sophisticated and thoughtful design of any airline, combining cutting-edge technology with sleep research to shape the look and feel for what is effectively a new era of travel. We’re building on the customer experience of our extremely popular non-stop flights from Perth to London as we keep working to make it easier to connect Australia with the rest of the world.”
Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.
