New era for travel comfort and class

QANTAS has unveiled a whole new era of flying with new first- and business-class suites for its Airbus A350-1000s, to be delivered in 2025 for Australia-London non-stop services.

Qantas says the suites are designed from the outset with ultra-long-haul travel in mind, and the first to be developed from the ground up by a mix of aviation, industrial design, and a multidisciplinary team of scientists from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre (including sleep scientists).

The design is similar to the award-winning Qatar Airways Qsuite.

A major factor in the design is the space available on the A350-1000 due to the limited payload of just 238 passengers compared to the 300-plus seat layout specified by other carriers due to additional fuel needed for ultra-long-range options.

However, Qantas will offset all the carbon dioxide emitted on these ‘Project Sunrise’ flights with green projects.

Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce said the airline was bringing everything it had learned, both technically and in terms of passenger comfort, to Project Sunrise flying.

“We think our A350 cabins have the most sophisticated and thoughtful design of any airline, combining cutting-edge technology with sleep research to shape the look and feel for what is effectively a new era of travel,” he said.

“We’re building on the customer experience of our extremely popular non-stop flights from Perth to London as we keep working to make it easier to connect Australia with the rest of the world.”

The A350-1000 will replace the 787 on the Perth-London service, which will mean a return to a first-class offering ex-Perth from Qantas.

In fact, the first-class suites are more an exclusive cabin or mini boutique hotel room with an extra-wide fixed bed, separate recliner chair, personal wardrobe, dining table for two and an 81-centimetre ultra-high-definition TV.

One element that caught the attention of Thedesignair.net is the: “Adjustable bed backrest, which comes out to give an angled surface for watching TV in bed, and the fact the armrest goes down to create a larger bed area is a lovely design touch.”

Every business-class suite will have direct aisle access for ease of moving around the cabin, and Qantas is incorporating sliding doors into the suite for privacy.

Other features include a two-metre flat bed, generous storage (including a large mirror), cushioned leather ottoman, a 48-centimetre ultra-highdefinition touch screen TV, large dining table and feature lighting.

First and business will also offer multiple options for charging personal devices, including wireless induction charging.

The Qantas A350 will offer fast and free high-speed WiFi with partner Viasat, following completion of key satellite launches covering the Qantas international network.

The aircraft will also feature Bluetooth connectivity, allowing all customers to connect their own Bluetooth-enabled headset to the in-flight entertainment system.

Australian industrial designer David Caon said every possible opportunity had been taken to promote wellbeing and comfort in the first- and business-class suites.

“We began designing this aircraft cabin five years ago, working with Airbus and Qantas to maximise space, as well as creating a tailored lighting program that will influence mood and sleep patterns,” he said.

“All the design and service elements will work together to significantly improve inflight comfort, convenience and health and wellbeing and help minimise the old nemesis of jetlag.

“Every element has been created for Qantas, from the reading light right down to the fabrics, to ensure that passengers spend their journey in refined comfort.

“There are also a number of storage design elements to keep personal items within arm’s reach so the space can be personalised by each individual passenger to feel just like they are in their own bed at home.”

Thedesignair.net gives Mr Caon full marks.

“There’s something effortless about the design, a trademark of Caon, who looks to create modern clean simplicity in his work. Simplistic lines, clever use of natural materials and a simplified curved form to elements such as the tray table, wardrobe and chair edges create a robust yet calming interior,” the website said.

The Qantas A350 will have six first-class suites in a one-one-one configuration and 52 business-class suites in a one-two-one configuration.

It will also feature a wellbeing zone for all passengers, which will be unveiled alongside the premium economy and economy cabins in the coming months.