World's longest flight to take off soon: Details

Qantas Airways, Australia's flag carrier, has announced the launch of the longest flight in the world. The service, named ‘Project Sunrise,’ is likely to begin by 2027. The longest flight in the world would be from Sydney to London and New York. The Sydney—London flight will last more than 20 hours and cover a distance of 17,800 kilometres.

Specially designed Airbus A 350- 1000 will be used for these iconic services. In this flight, around 238 passengers could fly in first class, business, premium economy, and economy classes. Interestingly, more than 40 per cent of seats are reserved for the premium categories to provide world-class facilities for the passengers during the long flights.

There will be separate cabins in the first class. Each cabin has 32 32-inch entertainment screen, a washroom, a bed and a recliner chair. Meanwhile, the ergonomic seats in the premium economy and economy classes offer good leg room. There will be privacy walls in the business class to ensure privacy. Passengers can enjoy snacks and other refreshments in the wellbeing zone, accessible for all categories.

Passengers may suffer from severe jet lag as the journey takes almost a day. Qantas has been working with the experts at the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney to develop ways to reduce jet lag. Unique lighting, a specially curated menu that helps with sleep, and exercise facilities would be arranged inside the cabins.

Qantas Airways requires at least three Airbus A350–1000 aircraft to operate daily services on these long-distance routes. The airline company will be able to acquire these aircraft only by the second half of 2026. The A350–100 aircraft will be modified to hold more fuel. After finding a solution to these challenges, Qantas Airways hopes to launch the service by the beginning of 2027.

Project Sunrise faces financial and environmental challenges. Additional human resources and fuel are required to operate the long-distance flights. However, carrying a vast quantity of fuel may reduce the fuel efficiency. So, aircraft with the most fuel efficiency would be used for the service. Besides, the possibilities for sustainable fuel too would be considered. If Project Sunrise gets launched after overcoming all these challenges, the airline company will charge premium ticket fares for the premium services. Qantas Airways’ dream project, if successfully launched, will be a significant milestone in the aviation industry.