Qantas showcased the new Business class and First class seats that will be installed in the airline’s future Airbus A350-1000 fleet on 23 February in Sydney, Australia. The reveal is part of Project Sunrise, which involves operating ultra-long-haul direct flights from Australia’s east coast to destinations in Europe and North America.
Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas, describes the routes as “the last frontier of global aviation”. The flights will have a duration of between 18 and 22 hours.
Together with Caon Studios, Safran developed the new First and Business class seats to meet the needs of passengers on ultra-long-haul flights. Ergonomically designed, both of the premium suites promise high levels of comfort.
Qantas is the first customer to select Unity, the latest addition to Safran Seats’ Business class portfolio. Unity provides passengers with a wide seat and a parallel, rectangular bed.
“We are delighted to provide Qantas with seats that meet the needs of ultra-long-haul flights and which allow a comfortable journey for all passengers. The creation of this seat is a demonstration of the remarkable collaboration between Qantas and the Safran Seats teams based in the United Kingdom,” said Victoria Foy, CEO of Safran Seats.
The company’s seating products will be manufactured in Cwmbran, Wales.
For each aircraft in Qantas’s forthcoming Airbus A350-1000 fleet, Safran Seats will supply 52 Business class suites with a door. The suites offer multiple options for the storage of personal items. They include console ‘cubby’ stowage, under ottoman bag stowage, a large literature pocket and a closed accessory case.
Each suite offers surface space with a large console and a sizable single-piece dining table.
Safran will also supply six bespoke First class suites per aircraft. Each one includes a fixed bed with an adjustable backrest and a separate seat. They feature a wardrobe, vanity cupboard and pyjama drawer, allowing passengers to unpack. The will have a 32-inch screen with a touchscreen suite controller and a sizable table that facilitates dual dining.
Safran has 83,000 employees around the world and generated sales of €19 billion in 2022.
