Qantas plane set to arrive in Australia today - direct from France

Qantas’ Project Sunrise plane will land in Australia today, after making a direct 20-hour plus flight from the factory in France.The specially adapted Airbus A350-1000ULR is expected to land in Melbourne on Friday after performing a flight test designed to push its range capability.It’s coming to Australia: The Project Sunrise A350-1000 ULR in Toulouse, France. Chris ZapponeIt is fitted with an additional 20,000 litre fuel tank, extending the range of the plane beyond 18,000 km.The Airbus plane is designed to fly non-stop for up to 22 hours, the longest commercial flights in the world, and will connect Australia to London and New York direct.When active in Qantas’ fleet, the A350-1000 ULR will be able to travel directly between Sydney and London, either flying up over parts of the Eurasia, across Europe or over the Pacific and then the North Pole.The fastest Sydney-to-London flight would be 19 hours and 25 minutes, and the slowest is about 21 hours, Qantas officials have said. From London to Sydney, it would take between 18-20 hours.The Airbus plane is designed to fly non-stop for up to 22 hour and is designed to connect Australia with London and New York.iStockThe time of the flight would vary “from day to day” and its “hugely influenced by winds,” Qantas’ chief technical pilot Alex Passerini told a gathering in Toulouse in June.The plane, still in its primary coating, is being flown to Melbourne by four Airbus flight test pilots, and five flight test engineers, who will put “the aircraft’s systems through their paces”. Two Qantas pilots will join the Airbus flight test crew for the return journey to France.The aircraft completed its first flight on June 2, 2026. In the weeks since, Airbus’ test teams have carried out extensive testing on the ground and in the air in Toulouse, including of the aircraft’s redesigned fuel system.Sydneysiders feeling cut out of the first sighting of the Project Sunrise plane, don’t despair. The Project Sunrise plane is expected to begin flying between London and Sydney from October 2027.There are no currently no plans to schedule Project Sunrise routes to and from Melbourne.More to comeThe Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.Chris Zappone is a senior reporter covering aviation and business. He is former digital foreign editor.Connect via X, Facebook or email.From our partners