Qantas\u2019s plans for non-stop flights from Sydney, London and New York have suffered a setback, with Australian travellers now having to wait until 2027 for the ambitious plan.<\/p>\n
In a blow to Australian travellers, Qantas has announced aircraft manufacturer Airbus\u2019 new planes will be delayed by a further four months. <\/p>\n
Under a new plan dubbed project sunrise, Qantas aims to cut the travel time to New York or London through a new custom made plane.<\/p>\n
But the new A350-1000URL aircraft \u2013 which carries an additional 20,000 litres in the rear centre fuel tank \u2013 has been delayed until April 2027. <\/p>\n
Airbus said the delay was \u201clargely due to the impact of supply chain issues\u201d which was disrupting the European manufacturer\u2019s entire A350 schedule.<\/p>\n
In a statement to NewsWire, Qantas confirmed the delays, as it closely works with Airbus on delivery of the planes. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the first aircraft delivery has shifted to April 2027, the next four will follow in quick succession, putting us back on our original schedule by November,\u201d a Qantas Spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe continue to work closely with Airbus on the delivery and certification process that will enable us to begin operating these history-making ultra long-haul flights.\u201d<\/p>\n
Qantas says the new planes are in the paint shop in Toulouse and will start test flights in a number of weeks.<\/p>\n
The airline also confirmed training for pilots is well underway through simulators in Sydney. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s the latest in a series of delays for the project, which was initially slated to start in 2023, and then 2026 after Covid disrupted the original plan.<\/p>\n
Direct services are expected to cut up to four hours off total travel time compared with current one-stop routes.<\/p>\n
Qantas currently operates a non-stop service from Perth to London in about 18 hours. Project Sunrise aims to push the limits further with direct flights from Australia\u2019s east coast to London and New York.<\/p>\n
The company said the Project Sunrise name paid homage to Qantas\u2019 historic Double Sunrise flights during World War II that stayed airborne long enough for crew to see two sunrises.<\/p>\n
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