Qantas has unveiled their new luxurious Airbus A350 First and Business Class cabins for their ‘Project Sunrise’ ultra-long haul nonstop flights from Australia to New York and London starting in late 2025.
On Thursday (February 23, 2023), Qantas revealed their new Airbus A350 First and Business Class cabins for their ‘Project Sunrise’ ultra-long-haul nonstop flights from Australia to New York and London scheduled to launch in late 2025. First Class guests will enjoy Luxe First Suites featuring a fixed flat bed with a separate lounge recliner and wardrobe, while the next generation Business Class suites have a sliding door for extra privacy. Additionally, the carrier is installing fast and free Viasat Wi-Fi across their entire A350 fleet, along with Bluetooth connectivity. Designed with ultra-long-haul travel in mind, the new flagship cabins will first be developed from the ground up by a team of aviation specialists, along with the Australian design studio Caon Design, and a multi-disciplinary team of scientists from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, including sleep scientists. The new seating products will be supplied by Safran Seats.
In Thursday’s announcement, Qantas Group’s CEO, Alan Joyce, said,
“Qantas has been the leader in opening up new long-haul flights for most of our history, and we’re bringing everything we’ve learned, both technically and in terms of passenger comfort, to Project Sunrise flying. We think our A350 cabins have the most sophisticated and thoughtful design of any airline, combining cutting edge technology with sleep research to shape the look and feel for what is effectively a new era of travel. We’re building on the customer experience of our extremely popular non-stop flights from Perth to London as we keep working to make it easier to connect Australia with the rest of the world.”
Also commenting on the design collaboration, Australian designer, David Caon, said,
“We began designing this aircraft cabin five years ago, working with Airbus and Qantas to maximise space, as well as creating a tailored lighting program that will influence mood and sleep patterns. All the design and service elements will work together to significantly improve inflight comfort, convenience and health and wellbeing and help minimise the old nemesis of jetlag. Every element has been created for Qantas, from the reading light right down to the fabrics, to ensure that passengers spend their journey in refined comfort. There are also a number of storage design elements to keep personal items within arm’s reach so the space can be personalised by each individual passenger to feel just like they are in their own bed at home.”
Safran Seats’ CEO, Victoria Foy, added,
“The first Sunrise flight will mark a date in history. We are delighted to provide Qantas with seats that meet the needs of ultra-long haul flights and which allow a comfortable journey for all passengers. The creation of this seat is a demonstration of the remarkable collaboration between Qantas and the Safran Seats teams based in the United Kingdom.”
A Fly-Through of Qantas' New Airbus A350 First and Business Class Cabins - Courtesy Qantas
With the goal of giving guests more space, Qantas has decided to configure their 12 Airbus A350s with only 238 seats, compared to the 300+ seat layout specified by other airlines. The aircraft will feature six First Suites in a 1-1-1 configuration, and 52 Business Suites in a 1-2-1 configuration. Additionally, the A350s will have a Wellbeing Zone for all guests, which will be unveiled in the coming months along with the Premium Economy and Economy cabins. Safran Seats will supply 52 Business Class Suites with a door, featuring Unity seats, Safran’s latest addition to their Business Class portfolio. Safran Seats will also supply six bespoke First Class Suites per aircraft. Both seating products will be manufactured in Cwmbran, South Wales.
Qantas Unveils New Airbus A350 First and Business Class Cabins for Ultra-Long-Haul Nonstop Flights From Australia to New York and London - Courtesy Qantas
The spacious and luxurious First Class Suite has been designed to feel like a mini boutique hotel room, complete with an extra-wide fixed bed, separate recliner, personal wardrobe, a dining table for two, and a 32-inch ultra-high definition TV. Each Business Class suite will have direct aisle access, sliding doors for privacy, a two meter flat bed, generous storage, a large mirror, a cushioned leather ottoman, an 18-inch HD touch screen TV, a large dining table and feature lighting. All First and Business guests will also enjoy personal device charging options, including wireless charging.
Source(s): Qantas, Safran Seats