Like many things across the aviation industry, Project Sunrise came to a temporary but sudden
halt this year. The ultra-long-haul flights were to revolutionize the way we traveled.
Before the project was put on hold, Qantas picked a modified version of the Airbus
A350-1000 to operate the flights. The alternative option was Boeing’s 777X. In these things,
we always hear about the winner. But why didn’t Qantas choose the Boeing 777X for Project Sunrise?
There’s a view that the Boeing 777X lost out because the plane was not yet in production.
But that may be incorrect. Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, gave an interview to Australian Aviation
last year where he said it wasn’t an issue: “Boeing is not at a disadvantage because this
aircraft is an aircraft that is there on paper,” Joyce pointed out that airlines frequently buy
jets off the drawing boards. In Qantas’ case, they did so with the Boeing 707,
Boeing 747, and Airbus A380. “They (Boeing) have to guarantee
on the [request for proposal] process performance issues. We are pretty good
at evaluating the technical data. Just because one is physical and one isn’t, there’s no difference.”
Qantas was satisfied both the Boeing and Airbus planes could go the required distances.
They couldn’t carry a full payload, but at least they could carry a commercially viable payload.
Qantas was encouraging of Boeing, publicly noting how competitive their bid was.
Unfortunately, no-one could discount the issues Boeing had with their 777X.
Airbus A350s have been flying commercially relatively trouble-free since 2018. In contrast,
the production of the 777Xs was delayed and in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Airbus tweaked the technical specs at the last minute for the A350-1000. Their slightly modified
version added an extra fuel tank to extend the range and allowed for a larger maximum take-off
weight. Airbus also allowed Qantas a grace period before the airline had to sign on the dotted line.
When it came down to the wire, Airbus was confident its proposal best addressed
Qantas’ requirements, with a spokesperson saying:
“We do offer an airplane that is capable of doing the mission with the payload Qantas wants to take,
and more importantly, we can deliver it on time,’’
Airbus also pointed out the A350-1000 was more fuel-efficient than the 777X.
Airbus reckoned that with both aircraft types at the end of the runway ready to roll,
the A350-1000 would be 45 tonnes lighter and 13% more fuel-efficient than the Boeing 777-9.
Further, whereas the 777X was an evolution of the original 777,
the Airbus A350-1000 was a brand new aircraft type with the latest technologies and design.
Qantas never said itself why it chose one aircraft type over the other. They
praised both bids, but Qantas never publicly spoke about the pros and cons of each offer.
Our guess is that the Boeing bid was probably cheaper. However, the proven track record
of the A350-1000 and its technical specs most likely combined to help Airbus seal the deal.
Qantas did mention the A350-1000s proven track record and engine reliability. But
Alan Joyce said it was a tough choice. With Project Sunrise on hold, it’s not
as relevant these days. Things move fast in the aviation world, even when most of it is grounded.
Economics change, new planes come online, demand shifts. The A350-1000 hit the mark
for Qantas in 2019, but when Qantas reassesses Project Sunrise, probably in a couple of years,
will that plane remain the best plane for the job? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.