QANTAS DESIGNS LONG-DISTANCE JOURNEY AS SUNRISE ONBOARD EXPERIENCE PROJECT TAKES SHAPE | News

Qantas today unveiled the next evolution of the cabin design for Project Sunrise, which will launch from October 2027 with the world’s first non-stop services between Sydney and London.

The Qantas Airbus A350-1000ULR is configured with just 238 seats, the lowest seat density of any A350 in the world, giving every customer more space on board. Each element is designed to help customers arrive at their destination feeling good, based on a decade of research with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Center and close collaboration with Caon Design Office and technology partners.

In the A350-1000ULR, seating, lighting, dining and wellbeing are designed to work as one, allowing customers to rest when they want, stretch out and arrive feeling refreshed.

First

The A350-1000ULR will feature six enclosed First suites in a 1-1-1 configuration, each designed using innovations and ergonomic research to deliver the ultimate long-haul experience. Each suite features an 80-inch flat bed and separate reclining armchair, with a large flexible work and dining space for one or two people, a large wardrobe and multiple personal storage spaces.

The new First suites have been tested for months to identify peak pressure points, resulting in a multi-layer memory foam mattress designed for optimal pressure distribution. The lighting in each suite can be programmed to support the customer’s circadian rhythm. An exterior digital suite panel supports both privacy and service, allowing passengers to communicate discreetly with the crew during the flight.

Company

The 52 Business suites are furnished in a 1-2-1 configuration. For the first time, Qantas Business suites will feature a sliding door for extra privacy, as well as an adjustable divider between the alternating center seats. Each suite features an 80-inch flat bed, a large dining table and work surface, and more storage options.

Flexible dining is planned for Business, where customers can choose to time their meals with scientifically optimized windows, in line with the circadian research that has informed every aspect of the Sunrise cabin design. The luminescent lighting dims at optimized intervals to help customers fall asleep.

Premium economy

The 40-seat Premium Economy cabin is arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration and has been redesigned from the ground up for ultra-long-haul travel. Each seat features an ergonomic leg and calf rest system for full leg support, an 8-inch winged privacy headrest, specialty amenities and personal storage pockets, and what will be the most generous seat pitch of any Qantas aircraft. A tailor-made multi-layer memory foam system has been developed especially for this cabin, tested in terms of ergonomic models, lumbar support and pressure mapping.

Economics and Economics Plus

The 140-seat Economy cabin, configured in a 3-3-3 layout, offers more generous seat pitch overall than any current Qantas aircraft. The new Economy seat also features a custom-designed multi-layer memory foam system that has undergone the same testing as Premium Economy, with woven wool upholstery in an earthy Australian ‘Pilbara Red’, which improves breathability and temperature during long-haul travel.

Customers will also get a new way to add comfort to the Economy experience through Qantas Economy Plus. The 42 Economy Plus seats are located at the front of the A350-1000ULR cabin and offer a 34-inch pitch, priority boarding and priority access to overhead bins. More than 70 percent of the plane’s seats will offer a pitch of 33 inches or more, the most generous of any Qantas aircraft. Qantas Platinum One and Platinum Frequent Flyers receive complimentary access to Economy Plus seats at the time of booking, and Gold Frequent Flyers from 24 hours before departure, subject to availability.

In all cabins, customers have the option to pre-select meals before flying.

Well-being zone

Qantas will be the first airline in the world to offer a purpose-built Wellbeing Zone on board, located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins. Designed by Caon Design Office, the zone features sculpted wall panels and integrated stretch handles, a guided on-screen exercise programme, a drink station and a range of premium refreshments.

Entertainment on board

A new inflight entertainment system, the airline’s most significant upgrade in more than a decade, is designed to be as intuitive as the technology customers use every day.

The on-screen ‘journey planner’, synchronized with the cabin lighting, shows when meals will be served and when the cabin will dim for rest, allowing customers to plan their flight for the entire journey. Available in 15 languages, the system remembers viewing history and allows customers to share a film with up to three others via a ‘watch together’ feature. High-speed onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity are available in all cabins.

Comments from Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson:

“Project Sunrise has given us the opportunity to rethink every aspect of the inflight experience. Working closely with the Charles Perkins Center over many years, we’ve designed the experience around the science of what the body needs on a long flight, so customers feel their best. This will be a whole new way to travel, and our customers will feel it from the moment they step aboard.”

Comments from David Caon, Founder of Caon Design Office:

“Every part of the Project Sunrise cabin has been designed specifically for Qantas. The passenger experience, from comfort level to well-being, was the driving force behind our process as we carefully considered the design of the cabin environment. We have spent years developing details, working with engineers and suppliers, developing bespoke materials and lighting, working with ergonomic considerations and collaborating with the Charles Perkins Centre. The aim has always been for customers to step away from these flights feeling refreshed.”

Further customer trials and testing of the new cabin features are underway, ahead of the first Project Sunrise flights due to start in 2027.

Project Sunrise will eventually connect Australia’s east coast to other international destinations, with Sydney-New York confirmed as the next service after Sydney-London. The timing for the launch of these services will be announced next year.