A unique Wellbeing Zone, the largest seat pitches in its fleet, and fewer seats overall are just some of the ways Qantas aims to fly travellers nonstop from Sydney to New York and London in maximum comfort on its A350 aircraft, the full interior of which the airline unveiled today.
Under the ‘Project Sunrise’ moniker, Qantas will commence non-stop flights between Sydney and New York and London from late 2025, utilising specially designed A350s.
It says the nonstop services will save in excess of three hours on one-stop services.
Earlier this year, the flying kangaroo revealed its First and Business cabins.
Now Qantas has unveiled the rest of the aircraft interior, the highlight of which is surely the world-first Wellbeing Zone located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
A first for any airline, the special zone will feature sculpted wall panels, stretch handles, a guided on-screen exercise program, and a hydration station along with various refreshments – and will be key to keeping passengers as comfortable as can be on flights of up to 22 hours.
The nuts and bolts
In the works since 2019, the 40-seat Premium Economy cabin and 140-seat Economy cabin will boast the largest seat pitches of any QF aircraft, special ergonomic leg and footrest systems, multiple fast USB-C charging ports (with wireless charging for premium seats), and fleet-leading, fast and free wifi with Bluetooth connectivity.
Overall, the planes will carry a maximum 238 passengers, compared to the 300-plus passengers other airlines offer.
“We have spent just as much time on the second half of the aircraft as we did the front, in fact we started studies on the Wellbeing Zone before any other area of the A350,” Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said.
“The new Project Sunrise flights give us the opportunity to re-think long-haul travel in its entirety, from aircraft cabin design to what ingredients we include on the inflight menu.
“Reducing the number of seats onboard our A350 to 238 compared to the 300-plus seat layout of other carriers means we not only maximise aircraft performance across long distances, we give our passengers more space and comfort.
“Fewer seats translate to more space for each customer and a dedicated Wellbeing Zone for travellers to stretch, help themselves to a snack and spend time out of their seat. We are the only airline in the world that will have a bespoke designed onboard stretch and movement space.”
Meanwhile, for the pointy end of the aircraft, Qantas designed six First Suites to evoke a mini-hotel room feel. First passengers will enjoy a two-metre bed, dining table for two, separate recliner chair and 32-inch, ultra-high definition touch screen TV.
Fifty-two Business Suites will feature sliding doors for privacy, flat beds, large dining tables, bespoke lighting and 18-inch, ultra-HD touch screen TVs.
How you’ll travel
Australian designer David Caon used Qantas-led research on the effects of ultra-long-haul flights on passengers, also released today, to help create the cabin layout.
“The Premium Economy cabin has been redesigned from the ground up with a focus on ergonomics, entertainment and privacy,” Caon said.
“The new headrest wings are the biggest visible difference and will provide passengers with both additional support and a sense of privacy without isolating them from travel companions. An upholstered ergonomic foot and leg rest system allows the body to be cradled in recline to better help passengers sleep.”
“Economy travellers also have an OLED 13” TV screen, foot net and convenient storage space within arms’ reach to store glasses and personal items.”
Caon said designers had considered every detail of the experience, even sampling thousands of seat fabrics.
“The team has spent extensive time testing ergonomics, lumbar support and breathability of the seat fabrics in the new Economy seat which will have 33 inches of legroom,” he added.
“In both the Premium Economy cabin and Economy cabins, we have redesigned every element of the seats to provide better features as well as a fresh look across the entire aircraft to create a sense of light and calm.”
