After multiple diversions and delays, Qantas' ambitious Project Sunrise got the official
green light on Monday morning.
Airline CEO Alan Joyce made the announcement in Sydney alongside a prototype Project Sunrise
plane, an A350-1000 featuring Qantas livery specially flown in from Toulouse for the occasion.
From 2025, a fleet of 12 Airbus A350-1000s will fly nonstop from Australia's east coast
to London and New York.
In addition, Qantas firmed up an order for 40 new Airbus A321XLRs and A220s to fly domestic
and short to medium-haul international routes, replacing existing aircraft, with the first
due to land in 2023.
Qantas has also secured options for a further 94 narrowbody Airbus jets spread over the
next decade.
“We have come through the other side of the pandemic a structurally different company.
Our domestic market share is higher, and the demand for direct international flights is
even stronger than it was before COVID.
The business case for Project Sunrise has an internal rate of return in the mid-teens,"
said Mr Joyce.
“The Board’s decision to approve what is the largest aircraft order in Australian
aviation is a clear vote of confidence in the future of the Qantas Group."
The bold plan to link Australia's east coast cities to destinations on the other side of
the world in a single hop was set to launch just before the pandemic derailed plans.
Qantas had picked modified A350-1000s as its preferred aircraft and was just weeks away
from confirming the aircraft order when COVID-19 turned everything upside down.
Keen plane spotters knew an aviation news story was brewing when an A350-1000 (registration
F-WMIL), partly decked out in Qantas colors, took off from Toulouse on April 30 and flew
down to Perth.
In the early hours of Monday morning, the jet departed Perth for the trip across to
Sydney, where it landed around 60 minutes ahead of the big announcement.
Interestingly, the jet didn't make the TLS - SYD flight in one hop, per Project Sunrise's
top-selling point.
Although the A350-1000 is a sizable plane, Qantas' A350s will only carry 238 passengers,
with more than 40% of the cabin dedicated to premium seating.
This compares to more than 300 seats on competitor airlines.
Each Project Sunrise aircraft will include a quote-unquote "wellness zone" where passengers
can stretch their legs and get the blood flowing again.
"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," said the Qantas CEO.
When it comes to the narrowbodies ordered, the first A220s are due to land in late 2023
and the first A321XLRs are slated to start landing in late 2024.
The 94 options are spread across A320 and A220 families, with flexibility on delivery
timing and aircraft type.
"The A320s and A220s will become the backbone of our domestic fleet for the next 20 years,
helping to keep this country moving.
Their range and economics will make new direct routes possible, including serving regional
cities better," said Mr Joyce.
The Qantas’ A321XLR will be five meters longer than the outgoing 737s, seating 200
people (20 in business class and 180 in economy class).
This is a 15% increase with no reduction in space between seats.
The A321XLR can fly approximately 3,000 kilometers further than the 737-800s and opens up a wider
range of direct domestic and short-haul international routes.
The incoming A220-300s are larger overall than the outgoing 717-200s and will be configured
to seat 137 people (10 in business class and 127 in economy class) – a 25% increase with
no reduction in space between seats.
It has almost twice the range at over 6,000 kilometers, meaning it can fly between any
city in Australia.
Most regular Qantas flyers will agree these new planes represent a significant upgrade.
The Airbus order also locks in the Qantas drift away from Boeing in favor of Airbus.
Airbus fans will appreciate that drift, Boeing fans maybe less so.
What do you think of this significant order?
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