Qantas Boeing 787 at Sydney International Airport
Taken by Ben @syd_spotting on Instagram
Qantas' pilots have approved on terms for Project Sunrise. The approval was necessary of these terms and play a significant part in getting Project Sunrise underway. 85% of pilots voted in favour for these terms. This was crucial part in getting one step closer to the beginning of Project Sunrise.
On the 14th of March 2019, Qantas took off from London Heathrow bound for Sydney International Airport. Flight QF7879 lasted 19 hours and 19 minutes on the wide body Boeing 787 aircraft covering a distance of 17,800 km. The plane arrived at Sydney on the 15th of November after over 19 hours in the air.
Qantas had initially decided to use the Boeing 777X to carry out the route. However, the airline agreed to use the Airbus a350-1000 as their option instead. Airbus will be fitting an additional fuel tank to extend its range.
'The A350 is a fantastic aircraft and the deal on the table with Airbus gives us the best possible combination of commercial terms, fuel efficiency, operating cost and customer experience' - Alan Joyce Qantas CEO
Qantas was expected to get the Airbus a350-K's delivered in March 2020. Due to the global outbreak of Covid-19, the delivery date has been pushed back to the end of the year. The airline was hoping to begin operations at the end of 2022 but with this delay in deliveries, it is looking likely that it won't begin until 2023.
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