Qantas unfreezes Project Sunrise

During the presentation of its half year results, the CEO of Qantas has announced it plans to resume Project Sunrise and confirm its intended order for twelve A350-1000s by mid-2022. The airline expects the aircraft to be delivered from 2025.

Project Sunrise is Qantas' project to operate non-stop flights from East-Australia to London and New York (NY), as well as new non-stop flights from West-Australia to Los Angeles (CA).

The airline froze the project due to the Corona-pandemic and, initially, planned to launch the non-stop flights in 2023. To be able to do so, Airbus will modify the A350-1000 with additional fuel-tanks so that it has sufficient range. Despite the project being frozen, Airbus continued working on the modification plans in order to be able to deliver the new widebodies within the three years after ordering.

Illustration by Airbus.