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Airbus A350 completes 24-hour test flight for Qantas’ Project Sunrise
Fox Business • • business
Key Points:
- Airbus completed a 24-hour and 24-minute test flight of the specially adapted A350-1000ULR from Melbourne to Toulouse, covering 14,338 miles as part of Qantas' Project Sunrise to establish the longest nonstop commercial routes.
- The flight exceeded the previous record set by a 2005 Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner flight from Hong Kong to London, which lasted 22 hours and 42 minutes over 13,422 miles.
- The aircraft includes an additional fuel tank carrying about 20,000 liters and seats 238 passengers; Qantas has ordered 12 jets, with the first delivery expected in April 2027 and daily nonstop Sydney-London flights planned for October 2027.
- The route is projected to take 19 to 21 hours depending on conditions, and the test flight attracted significant public interest, becoming the second-most-tracked flight on Flightradar24 with over 3.6 million followers.
- Qantas emphasizes luxury and comfort in the cabin design to enhance passenger experience on what will be the world's longest commercial flight.
