Qantas has "high-level design" of Project Sunrise first class suites
Work has already begun on shaping the seats in which you'll spend 18-20 hours during the world's longest flights.
By David Flynn, August 23 2019
Qantas' non-stop Project Sunrise flights from Sydney and Melbourne to London and New York are still at least three years away, but the airline has already sketched out the shape of the all-new first class suites and business class seats which would cocoon passengers on those 18-20 hour marathons.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has previously confirmed to Executive Traveller that the globe-striding jets – which will be either an Airbus A350-1000 or Boeing 777X – would include first class, unlike the current Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners which top out at business class, with the aim of "redefining" all four travel classes. “It will be the best product we’ve ever put on an aircraft,” Joyce added.
Speaking at this week's Financial Year 2019 report, which saw the airline list an underlying pre-tax profit of $1.3 billion, Joyce revealed that the airline now has "a high-level design of what our cabins would look like."
A fresh take on Qantas first class
This will represent Qantas' first new take on first class since the airline's Airbus A380 made its debut in 2008, although that decade-old design is now undergoing a refresh as part of the A380's mid-life modernisation program which will include a larger HD video panel and more comfortable seat cushioning.
Read more: Qantas' upgraded Airbus A380s will begin flying in September 2019
Qantas' is eyeballing a layout which would see the Project Sunrise jets carry over 300 passengers across four classes, from first to economy.
Joyce says that Project Sunrise "is not a foregone conclusion", circling back to the all-important bottom line: "This is ultimately a business decision and the economics have to stack up... we’ll be making the final YES-NO decision on Sunrise by the end of this year."
If the answer is "Yes", then the clock will be ticking on having each seat design tested, certified and manufactured in readiness for the first flights in late 2022 or early 2023.
Project Sunrise first class, business class
The Project Sunrise jets are expected to have a relatively small first class cabin – the global airline trend has been towards reducing the number of first class suites, sometimes purely to rationalise against reduced demand and in other instances to increase the physical footprint of each suite.
Meanwhile, the worldwide trend in business class is towards seats with sliding doors – as most notably seen on Qatar Airways' Qsuite, Delta Air Lines' Delta One and British Airways' Club Suite – which would no doubt hold added appeal on what would be the world's longest flights.
The Project Sunrise jets will also come with superfast WiFi capable of streaming HD video, using the same high-speed satellite technology as Qantas' domestic fleet.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
02 Jun 2019
Total posts 16
Ugh, Premium pitch (or lack thereof) is so NOT Premium.
25 Oct 2017
Total posts 64
We'll believe it when we see it.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Oct 2017
Total posts 80
Totally agree with Clipped wings. Premium pitch as well as business pitch on current decreasing trends is quite disappointing. The word "refurbished" in the case of Qantas means "dubious" for many fellow passengers I speak to.
11 Dec 2015
Total posts 88
Hopefully this new first will be an actual revolution, unlike the "revolutionary" premium economy debacle.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
24 Aug 2018
Total posts 95
I wish to be able to add something of substance, but not having experienced first class on anyone's metal, I just hope that the proposed first class on / in Qantas will be open to me to burn some FF points; but somehow I doubt it. (like scoring a business class seat on the B787 across the Pacific with points.)
18 Sep 2015
Total posts 89
It's gotta be the A350 - no one will want the 2-3-2 business class that Boeing is flogging for the 777X.
03 May 2013
Total posts 621
“Best product we've put on an aircraft...” “we've” is Qantas talk for average. He didn't say ‘industry leading' or ‘industry first', thus the jury is out till further notice and not holding its breath.
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