Inside the specially-modified Airbus jet built for the world's longest flights
Qantas' specially modified Airbus A350 is optimized for range endurance and passenger health on flights lasting up to 22 hours. Airbus Qantas unveiled its first custom Airbus A350-1000ULR for "Project Sunrise." It will fly a new 22-hour nonstop route between Sydney and London starting next year. The modified A350 features luxury cabins, a wellness zone, and advanced fuel systems. Australia's national carrier is preparing to launch new 10,000-mile flights that could last up to 22 hours nonstop — and it needs a custom Airbus jet with extreme endurance to pull them off. After years of delays, Qantas last week finally unveiled the centerpiece of its "Project Sunrise" initiative: a specially modified A350-1000ULR with extra fuel tanks, structural enhancements, ultra-premium first-class cabins, and a dedicated "wellbeing zone." The nose-to-tail enhancements — based on Qantas' years of research into how ultra-long flights affect passenger movement, ...
