Qantas CEO Alan Joyce is beaming.
His airline’s new London to Perth route is performing splendidly. Since starting the route in March, load factors have exceeded 90%, including a 94% load factor in business class. But that’s just step one.
Qantas plans nonstop service between Sydney and London by 2022. The 10,573-mile, 20-hour flight will be a longhaul like no other longhaul, easily becoming the world’s longest flight. Qantas also wants to serve New York nonstop (9,950 miles) as well as Rio De Janeiro (8,414 miles) and Paris (10,527 miles). This goal, dubbed “Project Sunrise”, represents a new frontier in longhaul travel. But finding the right aircraft is vital.
You might recall that Qantas has floated the idea of converting some cargo space into bedrooms/berths aboard its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This is because the aircraft is unable to complete ultra-longhaul flights with both a full passenger and full cargo load.
> Read More: “Cargo Class” Has Great Potential
Qantas has issued a challenge: it wants to carry 300 passengers plus cargo without a technical stop. The prime candidates are new A350-1000s or 777-8s which could theoretically offer additional seating capacity plus the ability to carry a full load of passengers and cargo.
Aircraft makers have until next year to submit formal proposals. With fuel tank customization, both aircraft could meet this goal.
CONCLUSION
I do not doubt for a moment that both Airbus and Boeing will find a way to meet Qantas’ need. Then the question becomes would you take a 20-hour flight? I would…even in economy class if I had to…but I’m not an average traveler. Then again, based upon the strong load factors on the new London – Perth route, I doubt Qantas will have trouble filling up the new flights.
image: Qantas
20 hours in a middle seat in coach… YIKES!
The question is how much I would have to be paid to take a 20 hour flight , even in business class. But, of course , I’m spoiled and admit it
I remember how everyone (ok reporters, commenters in Europe on blogs/magazines who probably never travel long haul) was all gushing about how this won’t last as they can’t imagine being 17hrs in the air. There’s a market for these ultra-long haul flights and if PER-LHR wasn’t doing good, QF wouldn’t have bothered with ‘Project Sunrise’.
Yea, Quantas can make this work.
I think when it comes to Ultra Long haul airlines should go the Singapore route.
Lower density cabins with more premium seating because no one would like sitting in the middle seat for 20 hours.
Also I’m curious how Qantas would try and deal with problems like DVT?
On a lesser dense aircraft people can just get up and walk around but in economy that would be the case.
It is something I’ve always been curious about the effects of ultra long haul travel and I wonder how/if Qantas will combat it.
You would sit in a middle seat in Economy in a seat that’s 17.2″ wide and has a 30″ pitch on a 20 hour flight on purpose? Do it, and you’ll prove yourself the ultimate avgeek. You’d be nuts, but that would be amazingly impressive.
Qantas is a very poor choice : cramped, expensive, lousy ( albeit trendy) food, inconsistent service ( ranging from outstanding to abysmal).
London to Sydney is my most regular route done about monthly in business and sometimes first. There is no way I’m going to do it as a none stop route at any time in the future. I enjoy the stop and as I use SIA who have the best connectivity from Europe to Australia I often stretch the stop to 5-6 hours which is good for my sanity and it’s going to stay that way.
I wish Qantas luck but I won’t be aboard.