• 

  Qantas

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  QF/QFA

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Brisbane Airport, Melbourne Airport, Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport

  Year Founded:

  1920

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  CEO:

  Alan Joyce

  Country:

  Australia

Amid the recent confirmation of Qantas' order for 12 Airbus A350-1000s to operate nonstop Project Sunrise flights to New York and London From Australia, the airline has shared details of what will be witnessed in the cabin. The aircraft widebodies are scheduled to enter service from Sydney at the end of 2025, and plenty of space is expected on board.

Making room

Even though the A350-1000 has a maximum capacity of 480 in a single class setting and up to 410 in a three-class layout, the Qantas units will carry just 238 passengers across four classes. This factor means that the carrier is providing the lowest seat count of any A350-1000 in operation.

Passengers will be able to choose seats in first, business, premium economy, and economy classes on the Airbus twinjet. Altogether, the premium is the pattern onboard, with 40% of the cabin taken up by seats in this segment.

Notably, there will be a wellbeing zone for all with snacks and drinks, where passengers can stretch out to prevent health issues such as deep vein thrombosis while flying.

This area will be found in the center of the aircraft.

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Cream of the crop

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce shared the following about the widebody's prospects on this ultra-long-haul mission.

“Throughout our history, the aircraft we’ve flown have defined the era we’re in. The 707 introduced the jet age, the 747 democratised travel and the A380 brought a completely new level of comfort. The A350 and Project Sunrise will make any city just one flight away from Australia. It’s the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance. As you’d expect, the cabin is being specially designed for maximum comfort in all classes for long-haul flying.

Joyce previously described the A350-1000's top offering as a super first class suite to comfort high-end travelers on the trek. He said that it will be far better than any first class his airline has introduced.

Across the cabin

Passengers in the first six first class seats will be treated to a private suite in a 1-1-1 setting.

There will be a large IFE screen, soft lighting options, and a small closet.

There are 52 business class flatbeds, with all the seats having direct access to the aisle in a 1-2-1 configuration. Further back, an area with a 2-4-2 formation will host 40 premium economy seats with a seat pitch of 40".

Economy passengers will also benefit from the extra space to be had. 140 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration will include 33″ of pitch, which is a generous offering for economy as passengers would usually find a pitch of 31” on long-distance services.

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Overall, Qantas is evidently making great use of the extra room on offer due to the fewer seats. With 20 hours nonstop, the airline needs to ensure its passengers are well comforted.

What are your thoughts about Qantas’ Airbus A350-1000 cabin? Are you looking forward to flying with the airline on its Project Sunrise program in the coming years? Let us know what you think of the initiative in the comment section.