Qantas is gearing up for Project Sunrise. After selecting an aircraft, the Australian airline is already looking at expanding the number of destinations served as part of the initiative. First up: Frankfurt.
Qantas looks at Frankfurt
Executive Traveller reports that Qantas is adding Frankfurt to the list of destinations as part of Project Sunrise. The airline would look at adding flights from Sydney and Melbourne to the major German city.
Frankfurt joins London and Paris as European destinations for Project Sunrise, coupled with New York City. These four destinations could easily be serviced with the 12 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft Qantas has selected for Project Sunrise flights, if the airline gets opportune slots.
Why Frankfurt?
Frankfurt is a major financial center in Europe. Often dubbed as Germany’s financial capital, Qantas can catch a significant number of business travelers looking to get to the major eastern Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
What about connections?
When it comes to connections, it would be quite grueling to get on an ultra-long-haul flight after coming on an overnight red-eye or an intra-European hop, especially in economy. Moreover, many families might prefer an Asian or American stopover in order to break up the journey and make it easier for small children or elderly passengers.
Qantas Airbus A350-1000
The Airbus A350-1000 is a solid choice for Qantas. On one hand, the aircraft has been in service for a few years now. The airline is well-known for a solid safety record and the A350 will likely help Qantas keep its stunning record.
Thanks to the size of the aircraft, Qantas can also experiment with different cabins. In announcing the aircraft, the Australian carrier also announced its intentions to launch new First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins onboard the aircraft. As these are no ordinary long-hauls, it makes sense that Qantas would use some of the research from Project Sunrise research flights and various other studies to create the best experience as possible for passengers.
Overall
It seems that there is a business case for Project Sunrise flights as the airline is looking at new Project Sunrise destinations. However, until Qantas officially orders aircraft, receives slots, and announces flights, nothing is certain. For now, however, this is a positive development for those hoping for new nonstop options to Australia.
Would you fly on Qantas from Frankfurt to Sydney or Melbourne? Let us know in the comments!
Simple Flying reached out to Qantas, however, Qantas did not respond in time for publication.
