A Qantas Airbus A350 jet landed in Toulouse on Tuesday after a flight from Melbourne lasting 24 hours and 24 minutes. This flight is believed to be the longest-ever commercial flight.
The flight is part of Qantas's Project Sunrise, which aims to use new A350 jets for non-stop services from Australia to London. The specially adapted A350-1000ULR airliner is due to debut on the Australian carrier’s non-stop Sydney-London route from 2027.
Airbus stated the aircraft, which features an extra fuel tank, covered 23,075 km (14,338 miles) without stopping. Qantas has ordered 12 modified A350-1000ULR aircraft, designed to connect Australia’s east coast with London and New York in approximately 20 hours. The first aircraft is due for delivery in April 2027, with Qantas expecting to operate daily non-stop flights between Sydney and London from October 2027.