Qantas has selected a long-range version of the Airbus
A350-1000 for flights to New York and London from Sydney, which would be the longest
routes in the sky.
The A350 beat out Boeing’s offering of the 777-8X.
The carrier is hoping to begin the flights during the first
half of 2023.
In its Project Sunrise, Qantas has completed two of three research
flights for New York-Sydney and London-Sydney. Qantas will operate the final
test flight, from New York to Sydney, on Dec. 17.
Qantas said it is working on a contract with Airbus for the
purchase of up to a dozen long-range A350-1000s. The aircraft will have one
more fuel tank than the standard A350-1000 and a slightly increased takeoff
weight.
In order to meet its launch goal of the first half of 2023,
Qantas must confirm the orders by March.
Qantas’ decision to work with Airbus came just a few weeks
after the carrier rejected proposals from Airbus and Boeing, saying that they
need to lower their price for the proposed routes to work financially.
At 11,185 miles, London-Sydney is widely considered the
ultimate challenge in long-haul air travel. Qantas said flights could take up
to 21 hours.
“Research flights have underscored the importance of
dedicated space for stretching and movement for economy passengers in
particular, as well as the potential benefits of redesigning the service on
board to actively shift people to their destination time zone,” the carrier
said.