Airbus A350 Completes 24-Hour Nonstop Flight from Australia to France

Post by : Saif

Airbus has successfully completed a 24-hour and 24-minute nonstop test flight with its specially modified A350-1000ULR, flying from Melbourne, Australia, to Toulouse, France, in a major milestone for Qantas' ambitious Project Sunrise.

The aircraft covered 23,075 kilometres (14,338 miles) without stopping, making it one of the longest nonstop flights ever completed by a commercial airliner during testing.

Major Step for Project Sunrise

The marathon flight is part of Airbus' testing programme for Qantas Project Sunrise, which aims to introduce the world's longest nonstop commercial passenger services.

The Australian airline plans to operate direct flights linking:

• Sydney – London
• Sydney – New York

without intermediate stops, significantly reducing travel times between Australia and Europe.

Read more: Frontier Airlines to Introduce Starlink In-Flight Wi-Fi Across Fleet from 2027

Specially Modified Aircraft

The aircraft used for the test is a specially adapted Airbus A350-1000ULR (Ultra Long Range).

• An additional 20,000-litre fuel tank.
• Seating capacity for 238 passengers.
• Designed for flights lasting 19 to 21 hours.

Airbus has been conducting an extensive flight-testing programme since June to certify the aircraft for ultra-long-haul commercial operations.

Millions Followed the Flight Online

The remarkable journey attracted worldwide attention.

According to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24, more than 3.6 million people followed the aircraft during its journey, making it the second most-tracked flight in the platform's history.

The only flight to attract more online viewers was the aircraft carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin in 2024.

Breaking Previous Long-Distance Records

The latest Airbus flight surpassed the duration of previous notable long-haul test flights.

In 2005, a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner completed a nonstop journey of 21,601.7 kilometres from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 42 minutes.

The Airbus A350 test remained airborne for nearly two hours longer while covering a greater distance.

Qantas Targets 2027 Launch

Qantas has ordered 12 modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft for Project Sunrise.

• The first aircraft to be delivered in April 2027.
• Daily nonstop Sydney-London flights to begin in October 2027.

The new service is expected to transform long-haul travel by eliminating stopovers and connecting Australia directly with major global destinations.

#trending #latest #Airbus #A350 #Qantas #ProjectSunrise #Aviation #NonstopFlight #LongHaul #AirTravel #Melbourne #Toulouse #Sydney #London #AviationNews #TravelNews #BreakingNews