A specially configured Airbus A350 designed for ultra-long-haul operations has completed a record-breaking test flight, landing in France after spending 24 hours and 24 minutes in the air. The aircraft covered a distance of 23,076 kilometres non-stop from the Australian city of Melbourne to Toulouse, demonstrating its capability to operate some of the world’s longest commercial routes.
The test flight simulated a potential passenger service, taking the aircraft across three continents and two oceans while passing through two sunrises and two sunsets. The journey forms part of preparations for the introduction of Qantas’ planned non-stop services linking Australia directly with Europe and, later, North America.
The Australian airline intends to introduce the specially modified Airbus A350 aircraft into commercial service from next year. Its first direct route is scheduled to connect Sydney and London from October 2027, with non-stop flights between Sydney and New York planned to follow at a later stage.
Qantas has been pursuing the goal of operating direct flights between Australia and Europe for the past nine years, although the project has been postponed on several occasions. To support the initiative, the airline has ordered twelve Airbus A350-1000 ULR aircraft, with the designation ULR standing for Ultra Long Range. The aircraft are equipped with an additional fuel tank capable of holding 20,000 litres, enabling the extended range demonstrated during the latest test flight.
The aircraft carried several Airbus employees responsible for flight testing, along with two Qantas pilots. During the journey, the team assessed the modifications required to accommodate the additional fuel tank, evaluated the aircraft’s ventilation system, and tested changes intended to reduce cabin noise levels for passengers during exceptionally long flights.
The latest mission follows an earlier test flight in which the aircraft travelled approximately 17,000 kilometres from Toulouse to Melbourne in 19 hours and 12 minutes. Together, the two flights form part of the certification and evaluation process needed before the aircraft enters commercial service.
If introduced as planned, the new Qantas services would establish the world’s longest commercial passenger route. The airline’s proposed Sydney–London operation would exceed the length of the current record-holding scheduled service.
At present, the world’s longest commercial passenger flight links Singapore and New York. Operated by Singapore Airlines using another variant of the Airbus A350, the route covers 15,350 kilometres and takes more than 18 hours to complete.
The successful completion of the latest record-setting test flight represents another step towards making direct, ultra-long-haul travel between Australia and Europe a commercial reality. By validating the aircraft’s extended range and the performance of its modified systems during more than 24 hours of continuous flight, Airbus and Qantas have advanced preparations for a new generation of non-stop international services designed to connect destinations previously separated by one or more intermediate stops.
