Qantas has unveiled the entire cabin of its Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000s. In February 2023, the airline showcased its First and Business Class cabins (please visit this article to know more about the same) and now, it has unveiled Premium Economy and Economy cabins including a World-First Well-being Zone.
Under Project Sunrise, Qantas intends to launch 20+ flights from Sydney to London and New York along with some other destinations. It’s obvious that passenger comfort will be the priority for the airline for these ultra long haul flights and Qantas says that it has put thousands of hours since 2019 to create the intuitive “cabin of the future” which will fly 238 passengers for up to 22 hours nonstop from Australia to almost any destination in the world. The Qantas Project Sunrise flights will cut down point-to-point travel time by more than three hours compared to routes with one stop.
Premium Economy and Economy
The Premium Economy cabin will feature 40 seats featuring 40 inches of seat pitch, the highest Qantas has ever offered in this class of service. The seats will feature 13.3-inch inflight entertainment screens, three dedicated amenity and personal storage pockets, calf rest, two fast-charging USB-C outlets and 8-inch winged privacy headrests.
The Economy cabin will have 140 seats featuring a generous seat pitch of 33 inches, six-way adjustable headrests, two fast charging USB-C outlets and an extra shelf for personal devices.
The Qantas A350 fleet will connect customers more than any other with “fast and free WiFi”, and Bluetooth connectivity will feature across all cabins so passengers can connect their personal headset to the individual inflight entertainment screen.
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A Well-being Zone
Qantas will be the first airline in the world to offer apurpose-built Well-being Zone located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins. The Well-being Zone will give every passenger a space to enjoy specially curated guided movements via onboard monitors and help themselves to a selection of refreshments.
We have spent just as much time on the second half of the aircraft as we did the front, in fact we started studies on the Wellbeing Zone before any other area of the A350. The new Project Sunrise flights give us the opportunity to re-think long-haul travel in its entirety, from aircraft cabin design to what ingredients we include on the inflight menu. Reducing the number of seats onboard our A350 to 238 compared to the 300-plus seat layout of other carriers means we not only maximise aircraft performance across long distances, we give our passengers more space and comfort.
said Alan Joyce, Group Chief Executive, Qantas Group.
He added that the decision to keep fewer seats will mean that each and every passenger will have more space.
Fewer seats translate to more space for each customer and a dedicated Wellbeing Zone for travellers to stretch, help themselves to a snack and spend time out of their seat. We are the only airline in the world that will have a bespoke designed onboard stretch and movement space.
he added.
Qantas also released world-first scientific research today on reducing jet lag and improving sleep and overall wellbeing before, during and after ultra long-haul flights, which has driven the unique cabin design of the Qantas A350s.
Australian designer David Caon incorporated the research considerations as part of the overall cabin layout and worked closely with seat manufacturers.
The Premium Economy cabin has been redesigned from the ground up with a focus on ergonomics, entertainment and privacy. The new headrest wings are the biggest visible difference and will provide passengers with both additional support and a sense of privacy without isolating them from travel companions. An upholstered ergonomic foot and leg rest system allows the body to be cradled in recline to better help passengers sleep.
he said.
He also said that in both the “Premium Economy cabin and Economy cabins, we have redesigned every element of the seats to provide better features as well as a fresh look across the entire aircraft to create a sense of light and calm”.
Economy travellers also have an OLED 13” TV screen, foot net and convenient storage space within arms’ reach to store glasses and personal items. The team has spent extensive time testing ergonomics, lumbar support and breathability of the seat fabrics in the new Economy seat which will have 33 inches of legroom.
he added.
Here’s a walkthrough video of the entire Qantas A350 cabin:
Other than these cabins, Qantas A350s will have 6 First Class suites and 52 Business Class Suites, for a total of 238 seats.
Meanwhile, Qantas recently announced that it is leasing two Airbus A330s from Finnair to expand internationally.
Featured image by Qantas
All the other images by Qantas
What do you think of Qantas A350 cabins? Let me know in the comments section below.
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