Qantas Project Sunrise goes ahead, 12 new A350-1000s ordered

[RooFlyer]

Hope this makes sense

Perfect sense, thanks. Except for the issues illustrated by @SYD , I would have said that the seat manufacturers should know, when a customer say, requests a custom item, whether it’s going to be able to be certified or not.

 

[leesionn]

Perfect sense, thanks. Except for the issues illustrated by @SYD , I would have said that the seat manufacturers should know, when a customer say, requests a custom item, whether it’s going to be able to be certified or not.

I think it's really difficult to predict - I agree that they probably should have some certainty but there can be uncertainty in the surrounding cabin environment - maybe currently they don't know what the galley setup is, the internal wiring etc? If they don't, maybe it would be a good practice to collaborate with whatever team does the fitouts of the entire cabin to ensure they can suggest features that are most likely to be certified? Who knows

 

[dajop]

They can operate 2 flights to the same port with 5 aircraft, depending on the timings.
For a period during the DXB stopover, they had the daily MEL-DXB-LHR and daily SYD-DXB-LHR each using 3 aircraft, then a retime to the MEL flight allowed that to go to 5 aircraft with the 6th going to DFW.

Yeh I remember that. Obviously sunrise would have shorter mileage to JFK and cut out 4 stops in the rotation (SYD-LHR-SYD-JFK-SYD will take less time than MEL-DXB-LHR-DXB-SYD-DXB-LHR-DXB-MEL). I guess it all depends on chosen (or given slot constraints, available) departure time out LHR.

 

[cosi]

Get onboard the #A350-1000ULR's unique flight test campaign!

Unlike typical test aircraft, MSN707 is a production model destined to join @Qantas' #ProjectSunrise fleet set to connect Sydney to London and New York non-stop. The challenge? Installing 5 tonnes of instrumentation without damaging the cabin.
Find out what we are testing and more!

 

[DejaBrew]

Apologies if these have already been posted.

 

[WilsonM]

Yeh I remember that. Obviously sunrise would have shorter mileage to JFK and cut out 4 stops in the rotation (SYD-LHR-SYD-JFK-SYD will take less time than MEL-DXB-LHR-DXB-SYD-DXB-LHR-DXB-MEL). I guess it all depends on chosen (or given slot constraints, available) departure time out LHR.

I think you could theoretically operate the SYD-LHR-SYD-JFK-SYD rotation daily with 4 aircraft, and an insanely tight schedule - I'm guessing the flights to LHR would be blocked at closer to 21-22 hours, while JFK is around 20? Obviously this is stupid and they'll want an op spare for launch.

 

[dajop]

- I'm guessing the flights to LHR would be blocked at closer to 21-22 hours, while JFK is around 20? Obviously this is stupid and they'll want an op spare for launch.

My guess, and it's just that, would be SYD-LHR - 21.5 hrs, LHR-SYD - 19.5-20 hrs , SYD-JFK 18hrs, JFK-SYD 19.5-20 hrs. Give or take. So in theory possible with 4 (that would allow 3 x 2 hr turn arounds and 1 x 11 hr turn around). But you've got have maintenance, allow for slot times and also operate at commercially appealing times, so 5 would be the absolute minimum I'd assume.

Times guesstimate based on SYD-DEL + DEL - LHR and SYD-DFW + DFW-JFK flying times. Block time is obviously greater than flying time, but there is also an extra ascent and descent when adding the two figures to make up for this.

 

[SYD]

This shouldn’t come as a surprise but don’t recall it being mentioned before?

Extra long test flight coming soon.

This Airbus A350 will soon make a record-breaking 24-hour test flight

Inside the gruelling test campaign of the newest Airbus jet.

www.executivetraveller.com

Certainly makes sense to do a few of those before the first paying PAX embark.

Also, one assumes the delivery flight TLS-SYD will be non-stop!

 

[AuSammy]

Perfect sense, thanks. Except for the issues illustrated by @SYD , I would have said that the seat manufacturers should know, when a customer say, requests a custom item, whether it’s going to be able to be certified or not.

QF definitely not the only carrier having difficulty with the bureaucracy associated with seat certification

https://loyaltylobby.com/2026/06/16/klms-first-two-airbus-a350-planes-enter-service-in-economy-only-configuration/