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Qantas Unveils Jet for 22-Hour Sydney-London Flights
Qantas' specially configured A350-1000ULR aircraft will enable non-stop flights up to 22 hours, cutting up to four hours off Australia-UK and US routes, CEO Hudson said.
- On Friday Qantas and Airbus released the first images of the specially configured A350-1000ULR under assembly in Toulouse, which will move to a new hangar this week for engines and test instruments.
- Named for Qantas's 'Double Sunrise' WWII flights, the programme builds on the airline's long-haul heritage and fleet refreshes driven by Vanessa Hudson, Qantas Group chief executive officer.
- Inside the aircraft, Qantas has designed a Wellbeing Zone with stretch handles, exercise programmes and a hydration station; the A350-1000ULR will have 238 seats and a 20,000-litre fuel tank for 22 hours range.
- Qantas plans an extensive test flight programme starting next year, with the first of 12 aircraft due late 2026, while analysts estimate Project Sunrise could earn over $2.39 billion pre-tax annually, and Qantas shares fell 6.5% on Friday.
- The Australia–UK and Australia–US routes will be the world's longest, with pilots planning polar routes using over 12 months of wind data, and fares are predicted to be around 20% higher.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources24
Leaning Left5Leaning Right3Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Left
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Left
42% Left
L 42%
C 33%
R 25%
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