Qantas’s first Airbus A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise has officially rolled out of the Airbus production hangar in Toulouse, marking a major milestone in the airline’s ambition to redefine ultra-long-haul travel.
The aircraft has now completed final assembly, with its fuselage, wings, tail, landing gear and Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines installed, and is set to begin a two-month flight testing program in the coming weeks.
The testing phase will focus on evaluating the aircraft’s systems and overall performance, alongside certification of the ultra-long-range (ULR) modifications that will underpin Project Sunrise operations. Central to this capability is an additional 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank, designed to enable non-stop flights of up to 22 hours.
The milestone comes as the second Project Sunrise A350-1000ULR continues progressing along the final assembly line, having entered production earlier this year.
Qantas has also confirmed the 12-strong Project Sunrise fleet will carry a distinctive naming theme inspired by ‘stars’, a nod to the airline’s heritage. During the World WarII, Qantas operated its famed Double Sunrise Catalina flying boat services, with each aircraft named after a navigational star used to guide the marathon journeys across the Indian Ocean.
The star naming concept was originally suggested by Qantas pilots and later selected by thousands of employees, linking the next generation of ultra-long-haul aircraft with one of the airline’s most storied chapters.
Once in service, the specially configured A350-1000ULRs will operate the world’s longest commercial flights, connecting Australia’s east coast non-stop with London and New York for the first time. The non-stop services are expected to cut up to four hours off total journey times compared to current one-stop itineraries.
In line with Qantas’ premium strategy, more than 40 per cent of seats on the aircraft will be dedicated to premium cabins, making them the most premium-dense aircraft in the airline’s fleet.
Strong demand
The rollout comes amid continued strong demand for point-to-point travel, with Qantas’ existing non-stop services from Perth to London, Paris and Rome delivering some of the highest customer satisfaction scores across the group.
With flight testing now imminent, Project Sunrise is entering its final stretch, bringing Qantas closer to launching a new era of direct, long-haul connectivity from Australia.
