Australian national carrier Qantas has made no secret of its ambition to operate the world’s longest non-stop passenger flights, talking up the concept since 2017, and pitting the two major aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing against one another to provide a solution to what the airline has dubbed “the final frontier” in aviation.
COVID-19 delayed the launch (flights should have commenced this year), but finally in May 2022 the airline agreed an order with Airbus for a fleet of 12 A350-1000s to launch these mammoth 20-hour direct links, like Sydney to London, from late 2025.
Today the airline has provided more details of its premium cabin offering on these jets, which will be configured with four classes of service to accommodate only 238 passengers – a fraction of their 480-seat maximum design capacity.
The reveal comes as the Qantas Group announced a record profit of AU$1.4 billion for the six-month period July to December 2022, similar to rival Singapore Airlines’ operating profit over the same period of S$1.4 billion (AU$1.5 billion), with both carriers seeing a fantastic rebound in demand post-COVID, and limited supply keeping fares sky-high.
First Class Suites
Qantas already teased us with some details of the closed-door Suites concept on its A350-1000 jets back in May 2022, with some renderings of the six-seat cabin in a 1-1-1 configuration.
Now there are more details and images of the David Caon-designed product, which the airline says will “feel like a mini boutique hotel room”.
“We began designing this aircraft cabin five years ago, working with Airbus and Qantas to maximise space, as well as creating a tailored lighting program that will influence mood and sleep patterns.
David Caon, Creative Director at Caon Studio
“All the design and service elements will work together to significantly improve inflight comfort, convenience and health and wellbeing and help minimise the old nemesis of jetlag.”
Each Suite will boast a separate seat and bed, plus will have a personal wardrobe, a 32″ HD entertainment screen, a high wall partition and a closing privacy door at the aisle.
The A350 First Class suites will offer 50% more space than the airline’s current First Class product on the A380.
Key features include:
- An enclosed private suite, with luxurious finishes and 57″ high privacy walls.
- A reclining 22″ wide lounge chair and separate two-metre bed, with luxury bedding.
- A 32″ HD entertainment screen with bluetooth connectivity.
- USB-A, USB-C, AC and wireless charging.
- Personalised Suite controls, including lighting, temperature and humidity.
- Six separate storage areas, including a personal wardrobe.
- The option to dine with a partner, friend or colleague in your Suite.
The separate seat and bed concept is a similar arrangement used by Singapore Airlines in Suites Class on its Airbus A380s, and effectively offers two different space concepts while you’re on a very long journey, which is a nice benefit.
The bed also has an adjustable backrest that extends from the wall, allowing you to sit and read a book, use a tablet or laptop, or have breakfast in bed, while relaxing in a potentially more comfortable position than on the adjacent seat.
Storage looks more than ample, including compartments within easy reach alongside the seat and space beneath the ottoman stool for a carry-on sized suitcase.
There is even a personal wardrobe next to the door.
One issue with the 1-1-1 layout of this cabin is of course that the middle seats have no windows, which may feel a little claustrophobic on a 20-hour flight.
We’d expect the four window Suites to be snapped up first, leaving these two less popular middle options for those booking or redeeming last-minute.
We’re pleased to see Qantas is not removing the ‘buddy dining’ option from its First Class cabin, with the ottoman doubling up as a second seat allowing you to invite a partner, friend or colleague to join you for dinner (provided they are also travelling in First Class, of course).
That’s great for couples making these long journeys, who can enjoy their own space for most of the flight but still socialise while dining, or just over a drink if they choose.
“We think our 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.”
Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO
More details of the Qantas A350 First Suites are available here.
You can read our full review of the current Qantas First Class, comprising 14 ‘open suites’ on the carrier’s Airbus A380 – a dated design by these latest standards but still an excellent experience.
Obviously we’ll be looking to try out the latest product on the A350 once it enters service.
Business Class
In Business Class, Qantas has followed a general industry trend over the last decade and opted for closing privacy doors in what the carrier describes as a “Business Suite” (but they actually already call their current Business Class product that, despite it having no door!).
This product has fuselage-aligned seats in a staggered 1-2-1 layout.
Business Class comprises 52 seats in total, split across two cabin sections of seven rows and six rows respectively, the latter section stretching all the way back to the mid-wing position on the aircraft.
Key features in this cabin include:
- A personal 42″ wide suite with a sliding privacy door and 47″ high privacy walls.
- A 25″ wide seat that converts to a two-metre-long flat bed.
- An 18″ HD entertainment screen with bluetooth connectivity.
- USB-A, USB-C, AC and wireless charging.
- Retractable privacy divider between the middle seat pairs.
Unlike the current Qantas Business Class, where middle seats are all staggered apart from one another, there will be couple configurations at alternate rows in this design (with seven options for that in total).
That’s good news for those travelling together who can enjoy a more sociable experience in these seats on these long flights, but if you’re next to a stranger there’s still a full-height privacy divider to extend.
Unfortunately there aren’t any renderings of how the middle pair seats at these couple rows works.
IFE is in the form of an 18″ HD screen, which also looks to have a handy personal device holder and menu holder alongside.
Once it’s time to sleep (and there will be plenty opportunity on a 20-hour flight!), the seat converts into a 25″ wide by two-metre-long bed.
There’s also a help-yourself refreshments bar in the galley area separating the two Business Class cabin sections.
The seat also includes a wireless charging option.
There’s also an adjustable “architectural feature light”, whatever one of those is!
More details of the Qantas A350 Business Class are available here.
This will be a marked improvement on the current Qantas long-haul Business Class seat, which we recently reviewed on a flight from Perth to Singapore.
Other cabins
The balance of seats on the Qantas A350-1000 will comprise:
- 40 Premium Economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout
- 140 Economy seats in a 3-3-3 layout
Qantas has promised to unveil details of these cabins “in the coming months”, but both will benefit from a “Wellbeing Zone”, also accessible to First and Business Class passengers, located between the Premium Economy and Economy Class sections.
Wi-Fi
Remarkably, the Qantas international fleet of aircraft is not Wi-Fi equipped, including the carrier’s Airbus A380s, Boeing 787s and international Airbus A330s.
That’s well behind the competition in this department, with most international airlines offering Wi-Fi in Business Class, including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines.
SIA now even offers unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi to all First Class, Business Class and PPS Club passengers, so there’s some serious catching up for Qantas to do here.
Thankfully this new announcement has confirmed that high-speed Ka-band Wi-Fi connectivity will be a feature on the Qantas A350-1000, plus the connection will be free of charge to all passengers (even surpassing SIA’s recent generosity).
The Qantas A350 will offer fast and free high-speed Wi-Fi with partner Viasat following completion of key satellite launches covering the Qantas international network.
Qantas
Cabin “flythrough” video
Qantas has provided a “flythrough” video of the new First Class and Business Class cabins on the A350, which provides a good overview of what to expect when we can finally see the products “in the flesh”.
The A350-1000 “ULR”
The Airbus A350-1000s will join the Qantas fleet in 2025 on “Project Sunrise” flights linking the east coast of Australia to cities like London, Paris, Frankfurt and New York, in what will become the world’s longest non-stop flights at around 20 hours, cutting at least 4 hours off the current one-stop journey.
Though not technically designated a “ULR”, like SIA’s A350-900 ULR models, these Qantas jets will also benefit from a 20,000 litre additional centre fuel tank between the two wings, enabling 21-hour range.
The aircraft will also be deployed on Perth – London flights from 2026, replacing Boeing 787-9s, and will likely ultimately replace the carrier’s Airbus A380s in the years ahead, subject to an anticipated further order.
That means we should see these products on board Qantas flights to and from Singapore eventually.
It would be great to think the Business Class seat can also make it onto the airline’s upcoming Airbus A330 replacement, which is currently out to tender with Airbus and Boeing and is expected to comprise either Airbus A330neos, Airbus A350s or Boeing 787s.
Summary
Qantas is emerging strong from the pandemic with record profits, and finally the Project Sunrise fleet is ordered and slated to arrive in late 2025.
These renderings of the First Class and Business Class cabins on these ultra-long-range jets look great to us, though of course there are a few more details to come and the proof, as always, will be experiencing the seats “in the flesh”.
The separate seat and bed arrangement in the First Class suites looks particularly enticing, and thankfully couple dining has been retained in this cabin.
Connectivity is getting a major boost, with Qantas installing high-speed Wi-Fi on these aircraft, which will be free for all passengers on board, like it currently is on the carrier’s domestic services. There’s also bluetooth audio connectivity and wireless charging to look forward to.
(Cover Image: Qantas)
Watched Alan this morning during his conference, was live on Aussie TV. The way he talked about the new seats and free WiFi, you’d think that Qantas is the only airline doing this.
He has said a lot of things in the past which are dubious at best.
USB A in a product debuting late 2025?
It is nice that he is looking after the rich while giving nothing to the bread and butter economy passengers but making their space less and less. Qantas was a supreme airline and then there was covid. It was very quick to cancel all flights especially to the USA. Now, despite huge profits, fares are up 50%. Well done Mr Joyce.
20 hour flight, 21 hour range… It’s going to be on vapour by the time it reaches its destination.