GlobeTrotting at Dj’s Aviation

It Keeps Getting WORSE For Qantas

Qantas’ flagship Project Sunrise – the ultra‑long‑haul service linking Sydney directly to London and New York – has hit a new timetable setback. Airbus now confirms the first A350‑1000 ULR will not be handed over until April 2027, pushing the airline’s entry‑into‑service window to late 2027, well beyond the previously targeted mid‑2027 launch. The delay reflects a cascade of factors. Redesign of the rear centre fuel tank, required to achieve the 20‑plus‑hour range, added six months to certification, while Europe’s aviation safety regulator has been stringent on the modified aircraft. Overlapping with these technical hurdles, Airbus continues to wrestle with supply‑chain bottlenecks – fuselage panel shortages, staffing gaps and fragmented production lines – that have slowed deliveries across the entire A350 family. Despite the postponement, progress is tangible. The first ULR rolled out in late 2025, completed paint work and logged initial test flights, and a second airframe is already advancing through assembly. Airbus has signaled that the aircraft will initially serve short‑ to medium‑haul routes, such as Auckland and domestic sectors, before being allocated to the marathon Sunrise routes. For Qantas, the ripple effects are significant. Fleet planning must now accommodate interim aircraft purchases and retirement schedules, while the multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar annual profit upside tied to Sunrise remains uncertain. The delay also risks eroding the airline’s brand narrative of pioneering nonstop connectivity, giving competitors an opening to capture premium long‑haul traffic.