Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has promised to make a choice soon on the airliner that will carry out his Project Sunrise dream: non-stop flights from Sydney to London, New York and everywhere, profitably.
That’s why Qantas is meeting regularly with execs and engineers from Boeing and Airbus, working to squeeze a little more price here, a little more distance there, a little less weight on take-off, a little more distance per drop of fuel. Because up to now, no airliner has been able to make that flight with enough passengers to make it pay.
The flights, which would be 20 hours or more in the air have been a long-time dream for the airline, and with a promised date to start in 2022, it’s time to choose the plane for the route. The two contenders in the race are specialized versions of two new planes, one each from Airbus and Boeing.
Airbus has already provided a stripped-down A350-900 for Singapore Airlines to use on its longest routes, but Qantas’ concern is that its passenger capacity is too limited for Qantas’ needs. Boeing’s contender is the newly-announced 777-8X, which may, in a specialized version, be the answer, but might also not be ready for 2022. That could result in a start delay, or in use of a less-optimal plane with fewer seats and less revenue.
