Qantas completed what is believed to be the longest-ever commercial flight when its Airbus A350-1000ULR landed in Toulouse on Tuesday after a flight from Melbourne lasting 24 hours and 24 minutes. The flight, which triggered a surge in online tracking, is part of the airline's Project Sunrise, in which it plans to use a new A350 jet to fly non-stop from Australia to London.
Record-breaking journey details
The specially adapted A350-1000ULR airliner covered 23,075 km (14,338 miles) over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans without stopping, according to Airbus. The aircraft, which boasts an extra fuel tank, remained in the air for 24 hours and 24 minutes before landing at the plane's factory in Toulouse, south-west France. Tuesday's flight is thought to be the longest ever by a commercial plane, beating the previous record of 22 hours and 42 minutes set by a Boeing 777-200LR in 2005 between Hong Kong and London via the Pacific.
Part of Project Sunrise
The flight was part of Qantas's Project Sunrise, which aims to connect Australia's east coast with London and New York in about 20 hours. Qantas has ordered 12 modified A350-1000ULR aircraft designed for these ultra-long-haul routes. The services aim to turn what was once a five-day journey on the "Kangaroo Route" to London into a single flight lasting 19 to 21 hours, depending on routing and winds.
Upcoming Sydney-London service
The first aircraft, which carries 20,000 litres of fuel and can seat 238 passengers, is due for delivery in April 2027. Qantas expects to operate daily nonstop flights between Sydney and London from October 2027. In a test last week, the plane flew from Toulouse to Melbourne via the Indian Ocean in just over 19 hours.
Public interest and tracking
Flight-tracking provider Flightradar24 said the trip was the second-most-tracked flight ever on its channels, behind a 2022 flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin, with more than 3.6 million people following its progress northwards via Canada.
