Video: Qantas Unveils its New Project Sunrise Business Class Seat

Qantas Airways revealed its all-new Business Class cabin suites for its long-awaited Project Sunrise, which plans to connect the airline’s hubs in Sydney and Melbourne with London and New York on the world’s longest flights, starting in 2025.

The Airbus A350-1000—the largest variant in the A350 family of aircraft— is designed to carry up to 400 passengers in a two-cabin configuration. For Project Sunrise, however, Qantas plans to fit the planes with only 238 seats, allowing passengers flying on these Ultra Long Haul journeys to have more space inside the aircraft.

Spacious First Class Suites

Up front, the Project Sunrise A350s will come with an all-new First Class cabin, equipped with six closed-door suites in a 1-1-1 configuration.

Each seat will feature a 32-inch screen with Bluetooth audio for in-flight entertainment. Moreover, a 22-inch reclining armchair and an 80-inch separate bed—similar to what Singapore Airlines offers on its award-winning Airbus A380 First Class suites—will provide customers extra comfort for these long journeys.

Photo: Courtesy of Qantas Airways

A personal wardrobe, a mirror, tailored lighting, humidification, and temperature controls will round up this exclusive plane area as the airline’s top-tier product offering on ultra-long-haul journeys.

Closed-Door Business Class Seats

Right behind, the new Business Class seats—tailor-made for the airline’s new Airbus A350-1000s—were crafted by experts from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre. The airline has chosen to fit 52 seats in this section of the plane, laid out in a 1-2-1, staggered configuration, also with closed doors for added privacy.

Photo: Courtesy of Qantas Airways

Each Business Class seat easily converts into a full-flat, two-meter bed. In addition to an 18-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity and wireless charging for in-flight entertainment, each seat has a large dining table, a cushioned ottoman, a large mirror, and plenty of storage space for each passenger.

David Caon, a renowned industrial designer from Australia, noted that he, the airline, and his team started designing this aircraft cabin five years ago. “We worked with Airbus and Qantas to maximize space, as well as creating a tailored lighting program that will influence mood and sleep patterns,” he explained. “Every element has been created for Qantas, from the reading light right down to the fabrics, to ensure that passengers spend their journey in refined comfort.”

Photo: Courtesy of Qantas Airways

Caon added that each seat provides enough storage design elements “to keep personal items within arm’s reach so the space can be personalized by each individual passenger to feel just like they are in their own bed at home.”

Qantas Airways will offer free high-speed WiFi connectivity on all its Project Sunrise flights. Powered by Viasat, the new service will be the airline’s first attempt at providing complimentary connectivity on its long-haul network.

Leading the Ultra-Long-Haul Segment

The airline’s CEO, Alan Joyce, believes that the new A350 cabins “have the most sophisticated and thoughtful design of any airline, combining cutting-edge technology with sleep research to shape the look and feel for what is effectively a new era of travel.”

Photo: Courtesy of Qantas Airways

“We’re building on the customer experience of our extremely popular non-stop flights from Perth to London as we keep working to make it easier to connect Australia with the rest of the world.”

Joyce reaffirms the airline’s decision to continue leading the world on ultra-long-haul journeys. “Qantas has been the leader in opening up new long-haul flights for most of our history, and we’re bringing everything we’ve learned, both technically and in terms of passenger comfort, to Project Sunrise flying,” he said.

Photo: Courtesy of Qantas Airways

Coming up soon, Qantas will also reveal yet another cabin section for its new Project Sunrise planes. According to the airline, a ‘Wellbeing Zone,’ along with new Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins, should be unveiled soon.