Qantas

Qantas has reached a major milestone in its ambitious Project Sunrise programme. The first Airbus A350-1000ULR, designed for non-stop flights, is now on the assembly line in Toulouse. This marks a key step towards the launch of historic direct services from Australia to London and New York.

Qantas and Airbus have unveiled the first images of the aircraft after completing several major production stages. The forward, centre, and rear fuselage sections have now been joined. Wings, tail, and landing gear are also in place, showing the aircraft taking its final shape.

At the end of last week, the aircraft was moved to another hangar. There, engineers have installed the engines and flight test instruments before extensive testing begins in 2026. These trials will prepare the aircraft for the longest commercial routes in the world.

The custom-built A350-1000ULRs will connect Australia