Qantas unveils more “Project Sunrise” information, with Premium Economy and Economy Seating

Qantas’s Project Sunrise is making more waves, as the airline unveils more rendering of seats, as well as its planned “Wellness Zone”.

Time to dive in, as Qantas shared a lot. 

Project Sunrise is the aim of Qantas to fly non-stop from Syndey to London and New York, without any stops.  At this point, Qantas is pulling back the curtain on the entire cabin design.

Work on the cabin design began in 2019 to create Qantas’ A350 cabin of the future which will fly 238 passengers for up to 22 hours nonstop from Australia to almost any destination in the world, saving more than three hours compared to routes with one stop.

there’s a video of the walkthrough which the airline has published for those who just like to watch:

Let us work front to the back of the cabin.

The aircraft will have six large enclosed First Suites designed to feel like a mini boutique hotel room with a 2-metre flatbed, dining table for two, separate recliner chair and a 32” 4k ultra-high definition touch screen TV.   

it will feature an enclosed suite with 57” (1.4m) high walls and a sliding door, featuring a full-length wardrobe and multiple personal storage areas.

There is also a touchscreen suite controller and USB-A and C, AC and wireless charging outlets, with customisable lighting. 

Moving down to Business Class, there will be 52 Business Class seats.

There is a sliding door into will open into a 42” wide suite with a 47” high privacy wall, and a Cushioned leather ottoman that lifts for increased storage access, Also present is a personal storage compartment with a mirror, along with an additional cocktail and work surface.

For those seeking to be entertained, there will be an 18” 4k ultra-high definition touchscreen TV. 

A Touchscreen suite controller will be present, along with USB-A and C, AC and wireless charging outlets

Moving further down to Premium Economy, the cabin will contain 40 seats, in a 2-4-2 configuration.

The seats will feature a 40″ seat pitch – one of the most generous in the class. It will have a calf rest to support leg-cradling, along with an 8” winged privacy headrest that adjusts for maximum comfort.

Three dedicated amenities and personal storage pockets are provided for quick access to items.

In terms of entertainment, there will be a 13.3” entertainment touchscreen with Bluetooth audio connectivity for passengers, along with two Two fast-charging USB-C outlets

The A350 will be the first to offer a purpose-built Wellbeing Zone located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins featuring sculpted wall panels and integrated stretch handles, a guided on-screen exercise program, a hydration station and a range of refreshments. 

Finally, we’re the back of the cabin, with the Economy Cabin will featuring 140 sets

Again, with such long segments, there are some customer benefits, with a 33″ seat pitch being installed. The seat will feature a Six-way adjustable headrest for greater comfort and a Multi-use seatback table.

There will also be an extra shelf for personal devices to rest on (such as a phone, tablet or Reader).

At each seat, there will be two fast-charging USB-C outlets and a 13.3” entertainment touchscreen with Bluetooth audio connectivity.

Across the Qantas A350 fleet, there will be fast and free WiFi available to passengers.

In Quotes

Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said while the Qantas A350 will have a high percentage of premium seats onboard, most customers will travel in the Premium Economy and Economy cabins so maximising comfort and wellbeing across all cabins was a priority.  

“We have spent just as much time on the second half of the aircraft as we did the front, in fact we started studies on the Wellbeing Zone before any other area of the A350,”

“The new Project Sunrise flights give us the opportunity to re-think long-haul travel in its entirety, from aircraft cabin design to what ingredients we include on the inflight menu.

“Reducing the number of seats onboard our A350 to 238 compared to the 300-plus seat layout of other carriers means we not only maximise aircraft performance across long distances, we give our passengers more space and comfort.

“Fewer seats translate to more space for each customer and a dedicated Wellbeing Zone for travellers to stretch, help themselves to a snack and spend time out of their seat. We are the only airline in the world that will have a bespoke designed onboard stretch and movement space.”

On the Premium Economy Cabin, David Caon incorporated the research considerations as part of the overall cabin layout and worked closely with seat manufacturers.  He said:

“The Premium Economy cabin has been redesigned from the ground up with a focus on ergonomics, entertainment and privacy,”   

“The new headrest wings are the biggest visible difference and will provide passengers with both additional support and a sense of privacy without isolating them from travel companions. An upholstered ergonomic foot and leg rest system allows the body to be cradled in recline to better help passengers sleep.” 

“Economy travellers also have an OLED 13” TV screen, foot net and convenient storage space within arms’ reach to store glasses and personal items. The team has spent extensive time testing ergonomics, lumbar support and breathability of the seat fabrics in the new Economy seat which will have 33 inches of legroom. 

“In both the Premium Economy cabin and Economy cabins, we have redesigned every element of the seats to provide better features as well as a fresh look across the entire aircraft to create a sense of light and calm,”

It’s going to be interesting- that’s for certain

Project Sunrise has been a marathon rather than a sprint for Qantas, as it has worked hard on selected airframes, seating and the industrial design to support all this work that is taking us to 2025 when the direct flights are planned to commence.

It’s good to see that they have expanded the seat pitch in Economy and Premium Economy – no matter what anyone says, being stuck in a seat for the times these flights are going to fly non-stop is going to be… fun.

Similarly, the wellness zone is something that will be something I would be interested to see if it meets its aim – or turns into a general hang-out spot.

238 seats is a low count for an Airbus A350 – and I would suspect having much more would have led to a weight penalty that would prevent the range requirements from being met.

For now, Qantas have staked out their future plans for Project Sunrise.

We’ll have to see how they deliver on it.

Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond. Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.

Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates, as well as Mastodon too! You can follow me on Instagram too!

Also, remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.