Qantas completes record 24-hour commercial flight
An A350-1000ULR flew from Melbourne to Toulouse as part of Project Sunrise testing.
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Single named source (Airbus) but no independent verification or local angle.
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Qantas has achieved what is believed to be the longest commercial flight on record, with an aircraft landing in Toulouse, France, 24 hours and 24 minutes after departing Melbourne. The flight is a crucial part of the airline's Project Sunrise initiative, which aims to introduce direct long-haul services from Australia to international destinations.
Project Sunrise and the A350
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The flight utilized a specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR, an aircraft designed for ultra-long-haul journeys. This particular jet is equipped with an additional fuel tank, enabling it to cover extensive distances. Airbus has been conducting a two-month test campaign with this aircraft since June. The flight covered 23,075km over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans without any stops, landing at the aircraft manufacturer's facility in Toulouse.
This latest flight surpasses the previous record for the longest commercial flight, which stood at 22 hours and 42 minutes, set in 2005. In a separate test flight last week, the same aircraft flew from Toulouse to Melbourne in just over 19 hours.
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The journey attracted significant public attention, with flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reporting that more than 3.6 million people monitored the flight's progress online. This made it the second-most-tracked flight in the platform's history, behind only the flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin in 2022. Qantas has placed an order for 12 of the modified A350-1000ULR aircraft, which are intended to facilitate nonstop flights to London and New York from Australia's east coast, with journey times expected to be around 20 hours.
The airline anticipates that these new services will transform the traditional 'Kangaroo Route' to London, reducing a journey that previously took five days to a single flight of approximately 19 to 21 hours. The first of these new aircraft is scheduled for delivery in April 2027, and Qantas plans to commence daily nonstop flights between Sydney and London in October 2027.
Questions this report answers
+What aircraft was used for the record flight?
The flight used a specially adapted Airbus A350-1000ULR, a jet modified with an extra fuel tank to handle ultra-long-haul routes. This aircraft is central to Qantas’s Project Sunrise, which aims to launch direct flights from Australia to Europe and the US.
+How long did the record-breaking flight take?
The flight lasted 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering 23,075km from Melbourne to Toulouse without stopping. This surpasses the previous record of 22 hours and 42 minutes set in 2005, marking a significant milestone for commercial aviation.
+When will Qantas start nonstop flights to London?
Qantas plans to launch daily nonstop flights between Sydney and London in October 2027. The first of 12 ordered A350-1000ULR aircraft is due for delivery in April 2027, transforming the traditional multi-day 'Kangaroo Route'.
+How many people tracked the flight online?
Over 3.6 million people followed the flight’s progress on Flightradar24, making it the second-most-tracked flight in the platform’s history. This level of public interest highlights the significance of the milestone for global aviation.
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