Major aerospace groups Airbus (manufacturer of airliners) and Rolls-Royce (maker of aeroengines) have announced connected major orders for their products from Australian national flag carrier Qantas. The airline has selected a trio of Airbus types to implement its fleet modernisation programme, namely 12 A350-1000 widebodies, 20 A321XLR (extra-long-range) single-aisle and 20 A220 smaller single-aisle airliners. (The carrier already has 109 Airbus A320neo family aircraft on order). From Rolls-Royce, Qantas has ordered Trent XWB-97 engines to power the A350s.

The A350s will enable the airline to offer unprecedentedly long-range intercontinental services. These aircraft will allow Qantas to undertake direct flights from, for example, London and New York to Melbourne and Sydney. The institution of these new globe-spanning direct routes is called ‘Project Sunrise’ by the carrier.

“New types of aircraft make new things possible,” highlighted Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce. “That’s what makes [this] announcement so significant for the national carrier and for a country like Australia where air travel is crucial. The A350 and Project Sunrise will make any city just one flight away from Australia. It’s the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance. The A320s and A220s will become the backbone of our domestic fleet for the next 20 years, helping to keep the country moving. Their range and economics will [also] make new direct routes possible.”

“Qantas is one of the world’s iconic airlines, with a visionary spirit from its inception over 100 years ago,” highlighted Airbus chief commercial officer and Airbus International head Christian Scherer. “We are honoured by the confidence that Qantas is placing in Airbus and look forward to delivering to the Group one of the world’s most modern, efficient and sustainable fleets. This decision by Qantas underscores the position of the A350 as the reference long-range widebody aircraft.”

“We have been powering Qantas aircraft for more than 40 years and we are delighted to be making more history with Qantas on Project Sunrise,” affirmed Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace chief customer officer Ewen McDonald. “This project is closely aligned with our company’s passion for pioneering new innovation and achieving industry firsts. Our Trent XWB engine already has a pedigree in powering ultra long-haul flights and doing so with the maximum efficiency and reliability.”

The contract with Rolls-Royce includes a ‘TotalCare’ service agreement to support the Trent XWB-97 engines. The contract with Airbus is the biggest order in Australian civil aviation history.