Qantas A350 Completes 19-Hour Test Flight Ahead of Direct London-Sydney Route
Qantas has taken delivery of a custom-built Airbus A350-1000ULR after a 19-hour, 13-minute flight from Toulouse, France, to Australia. The 17,000km journey was a test of the aircraft designed for the airline's Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul services. The aircraft has an additional 20,000-litre rear fuel tank and can remain airborne for up to 22 hours. Qantas plans to use it for direct London-Sydney flights from October 2027, a route expected to take roughly 19 hours 25 minutes to 20 hours 55 minutes depending on weather conditions. Some winter services may fly north over Alaska, Greenland and Iceland to benefit from tailwinds and avoid congestion. Qantas is also introducing circadian lighting, timed meals and a wellbeing area to help passengers manage jet lag during the journey. Singapore Airlines' Singapore-New York service is currently the world's longest commercial flight. Qantas' planned London-Sydney route is expected to exceed it in both distance and duration.
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