Qantas received its first ultra long-range Airbus A350-1000ULR on Friday after a nonstop test flight covering approximately 17,000 kilometers from the aircraft manufacturer’s facility in Toulouse, France to Melbourne. The flight lasted just over 19 hours and drew significant public interest, with more than 67,000 individuals tracking the journey in real time on flight tracking websites, making it the most-watched flight globally on that day.
The aircraft was developed specifically for Qantas to operate extended nonstop routes, with the capability to fly continuously for up to 22 hours. The airline plans to launch direct service between Sydney and London beginning in October 2027 using this aircraft model. The test flight was conducted by four Airbus test pilots and five flight engineers who evaluated various systems and operational procedures. The aircraft is scheduled to depart Melbourne on Monday for the return journey to France, with Qantas pilots aboard to observe performance on the longer 23-hour westbound route.
The A350-1000ULR features an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank that enables extended range operations covering nearly 10,000 nautical miles. Qantas has ordered 12 of these aircraft configured with 238 seats, fewer than the standard A350-1000 model. The test aircraft currently displays tan livery with company branding, while the first aircraft scheduled for delivery in April 2027, named Vega, will feature Qantas’s traditional white and red exterior paint scheme.
The Sydney-London direct service represents the latest iteration of Qantas’s Project Sunrise initiative, which has experienced multiple scheduling adjustments. The company previously indicated the service would commence in the first half of 2027, but delivery timelines announced in June established April 2027 as the date for the first aircraft handover. While earlier planning referenced Melbourne and Brisbane as additional hubs for expanded direct international routes, the airline’s most recent public statements have emphasized flexibility in route deployment based on passenger demand analysis.
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