Qantas Unveils its New Business and First Class Seats Dedicated to Ultra-long Haul Flights Made by Safran

Qantas has revealed their new Business Class and First class seats for Project Sunrise today in Sydney, Australia. Project Sunrise involves operating direct flights between the East Coast of Australia, Europe and North America. These new direct routes will conquer “the last frontier of global aviation” as quoted by Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO, pushing further the length of commercial flights to 18-22 hours. This is the first event showcasing the premium products which will be installed in their future Airbus A350-1000 fleet.

In collaboration with the Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) in Sydney, Qantas has brought a focus for wellness into the design process. Together with Caon Studios, Safran has developed the new First and Business class seats with specific requirements to suit the needs of passengers on these ultra-long haul flights and both of these premium suites will offer a high level of comfort thanks to generous ergonomically designed living space.

For each aircraft, Safran Seats will supply 52 business class suites with a door. Qantas is the first customer to select Unity, the latest addition to Safran Seats’ business class portfolio. Unity provides a wide seat and a parallel, rectangular bed to ensure utmost comfort on the longest travel routes. There are multiple options for the stowage of personal items, including console “cubby” stowage, under ottoman bag stowage, a large literature pocket and a closed accessory case. It also features plentiful surface space with a large console and large single piece dining table.

In First class, Safran will supply six bespoke suites per aircraft. Each suite includes a fixed bed with an adjustable backrest and a separate seat. There are numerous stowage areas designed for passengers to be able to unpack in their suite, with a wardrobe, vanity cupboard and pyjama drawer. There is a substantial table to allow dual dining, a touchscreen suite controller and 32” screen.

Both of these premium seating products are to be manufactured in Cwmbran, South Wales, utilising the Safran Seats local expertise in bespoke seating design.

"The first Sunrise flight will mark a date in history. 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." Victoria Foy, CEO of Safran Seats