Qantas to launch new ‘well-being’ zone on ultra long-haul flights
Qantas is taking passenger comfort to a whole new level by offering dedicated wellbeing zones to travellers flying on the ultra-long-haul international flights.
Qantas revealed its plans to deliver non-stop flights from Australia's east coast to Europe and the United States at a press conference on Monday May 2nd.
"New types of aircraft make new things possible," CEO Alan Joyce said, adding the new Airbus A350s feature "comfort in each travel class" and are set to "improve how people travel around Australia and overseas."
The new Airbus A350s are capable of flying direct from Sydney to international cities like New York and London by the end of 2025, which means the Aussie carrier would officially operate the world's longest flight.
Qantas revealed that the aircraft will carry only 238 passengers across four classes (First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy), compared to over 300 seats on competitor airlines.
More than 40% of the cabin will be "dedicated to premium seating".
"First class will have a designated bed, a designated seat away from the bed and a wardrobe. It will be the best, I believe, first-class product out there," Mr Joyce said.
The cabin has been specially configured for improved comfort on long flights, with Qantas also saying economy class will have the biggest seat of any economy class the airline has ever launched.
The real stand-out feature will be a dedicated 'wellbeing zone' in the centre, with enough room to be a workout area for people to exercise and re-hydrate. There will also be digital displays to provide movement recommendations and a self-serve snacking station.
"It's an area we believe is very important for people travelling this ultra-long haul," Joyce added.
In 2019, the airline ran a series of test flights on the Sydney to New York City and Sydney to London routes as an experiment where the crew and passengers on board had their health monitored during the journey. This was to see how such a long flight could affect future fliers. Tracking devices monitored sleep patterns, activity cycles, food and drink consumption and other data.
Right now, Singapore Airlines holds the title of having the world's longest flight thanks to its Singapore to New York route.
Qantas has not yet released costs for the ultra long haul flights.
Images: Qantas