Australia-based Qantas Airline is all set to introduce 20-hour-long flights between Sydney and other global cities, with in-house facilities including workout stations! By Shikha Pushpan
The commercial aviation world may soon see a 20-hour flight entering the market with in-house amenities, such as gym, bunk beds, and child-care facilities.
Qantas Airline, the national carrier of Australia, has confirmed about being in talks with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, to configure a long-range aircraft that can fly non-stop for 20 hours with about 300 passengers, with fuel in hand for unexpected headwinds and emergencies.
The first flight under Project Sunrise (as Qantas has named it) is likely to take off from Sydney and arrive at London or New York, in 2022, followed by similar routes, between major cities in the Americas, Europe, and Africa to Australia.
The development comes exactly a year after Qantas Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce publicly challenged the two aircraft manufacturers to design a plane capable of flying such marathon flights.
“We’re challenging ourselves to think outside the box… Would you have the space for other activities—exercise, bar, creche, sleeping areas and berths? Boeing and Airbus have been quite creative in coming up with ideas,” Joyce told the press after meeting senior executives from Airbus and Boeing in Qantas’ central Sydney office.
According to the reports, Qantas plans to place an order next year and is sizing up the long-range Airbus 350 against Boeing’s 777X.
Reacting to the reports, Airbus said, “We are looking at all the options to meet the Project Sunrise requirements but can’t comment on the details of our discussion with Qantas. Meanwhile, Boeing said, “We are confident that we can meet the customer’s requirements in terms of range and capability.”
Recently, the Singapore Airlines announced plans to restart its non-stop, 19-hour flight to New York with Airbus’s A350-900 on October 11. This flight will overtake Qatar Airways’ Doha-Auckland route as the world’s longest flight.
Interestingly, back in 1935, it took one 12 days and a half to fly from Australia to London, with even the luxury flying boats taking as many as 30 stops on the route.
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