Qantas "Trumpeting" Plans For 20-Hour Flights; 2-Meter Beds In First, 2-3" More Room In Coach

[hatrack]

From late 2025, Qantas hopes to run the first of its “Project Sunrise” flights – up to 20 hours non-stop from the east coast of Australia to Europe and the US east coast. Australia’s national carrier has trumpeted the flights as “the final frontier of aviation”, but health and industry experts hold concerns for the passenger experience and question whether eliminating a stopover will ultimately increase aircraft emissions. Qantas first announced its vision to run the ultra long-haul routes in 2017, but Covid pushed back the predicted 2022 launch. With global aviation now booming again thanks to the post-pandemic hunger for travel, Project Sunrise is firmly back on the agenda.

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With fewer potential customers per flight, Qantas will lean into the high-end market, with 40% of the cabin to be “premium seating”. ach plane will have six first-class suites, 52 business suites, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 standard economy seats at the rear. So far the airline has revealed more about the front end of the plane. First class will feature a 2-metre bed, personal wardrobe and 32-inch television in each suite, which will be 50% larger than the suites on its existing A380s. Business class will have generous legroom and privacy walls.

Much less has been promised for travellers in economy, beyond a seat pitch of 33 inches, 2-3 inches above the airline’s standard. Passengers from all classes will be able to access a snack station and a “wellbeing zone”. The zone, a “dedicated space for movement”, appears similar in size to the back of most cabin aisles.

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Qantas boasts that the A350 uses up to 20% less fuel than other aircraft its size and 25% less carbon dioxide emissions per seat, but critics question whether the non-stop flights will be less environmentally damaging. On the one hand, it saves fuel by avoiding at least one take-off – the most energy intensive part of a flight. But by carrying far fewer passengers the emissions footprint per passenger blows out significantly. Emissions figures have not been released for the Project Sunrise flights, but the International Civil Aviation Organization calculated that non-stop flights from Dubai to Auckland – about 14,000km – produced an average of 876kg of C02 per economy passenger. With a stopover in Singapore, average emissions per economy passenger were 772kg. Emissions are significantly higher for premium class passengers.

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[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Qantas. No letter U.

It stands for Queensland and Northern Territories Air Service.

[lapfog_1]

2. First class mile high club?

2 meter beds...

[brooklynite]

4. Beds have been around for awhile...

See “the residence” on Etihad

[Meadowoak]

7. For a 20 hr. Flight, you might need a bed.

[brooklynite]

3. Last Iheard they were only going to offer business class and premium economy.

Regular economy was to considered too constraining.

The menus are also more targeted. Carb heavy foods at the front to put you to sleep and lighter foods at the back to wake you up.

[brooklynite]

5. Air New Zealand is rolling out extra cost beds for economy...

…on their NYC-Auckland flights. Basically like capsule hotels in Japan.

[DFW]

6. I wonder what the film selection would be?

All 38 (or however many it is by now) of the Star Wars films plus offshoots in a row?
Every West Wing episode back to back?
Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Earrings, Lord of the Necklaces, and Lord of the Piercings?
All episodes of The Big Bang Theory, starting off with a three hour documentary from MIT, then all Young Sheldon episodes, and then on to the Jim Parsons episodes?

I think the concern about emissions has to do with the extra weight for all the entertainment, which is, of course, still better than no entertainment at all, causing stir-crazy passengers to riot, necessitating emergency landings.

Oh, and they had better have nice accommodations for the four or so full crews they will need.