All eyes on Qantas as thousands watch airline's test for world's longest non-stop route between Melbourne and Toulouse

By CAITLIN POWELL - NEWS REPORTER and ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 22:51, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 22:52, 23 July 2026 Qantas' new ultra-long range jet is making its first 17,000km test flight from Toulouse, France, to Melbourne, Australia. Plane manufacturer Airbus is set to deliver Qantas its first A350-1000ULR in April next year. The aircraft is capable of a 22-hour flight while carrying a full payload.  Qantas plans to use the new plane to run a 20-hour non-stop route between Sydney and London. The custom-built plane took off from Toulouse on Thursday at 7.30am local time (3.30pm AEST) and is due to land in Melbourne at 10.35am on Friday.  At least 12,400 people were tracking the aircraft on Flightradar24 as it closed in on Australia's west coast after almost 16 hours in the air, with at least three hours to go. It was the most tracked flight in the world, according to the air traffic website. The first Qantas flight on the route, under Project Sunrise, is set to take off in October 2027.  The airline will buy 12 A350-1000ULRs at a cost of $330million each. Qantas' new ultra-long range jet is making its first 17,000km test flight from Toulouse, France, to Melbourne, Australia. The custom-built plane took off from Toulouse on Thursday at 7.30am local time (3.30pm AEST) and is due to land in Melbourne at 10.35am on Friday It was the most tracked flight in the world, according to the air traffic website The carrier is expected to launch a non-stop flight between Sydney and New York by the end of 2027. The current record for the longest commercial passenger flight is held by Singapore Airlines for its 15,349km, 18-hour and 50-minute flight between New York and Singapore.  Airbus has been sharing images of Qantas' first A350-1000ULR and its interior since November 2025. To help passengers manage the ultra-long flight, Qantas has introduced a 'wellness zone' - considered to be the first of its kind.  Passengers on the 22-hour journeys will also be encouraged to sample premium self-serve healthy refreshments available throughout the flight – designed to provide optimum hydration at high altitude. Walls in the wellness zone will be fitted with handles to aid exercises, making it an effective exercise and social space. Australian designer David Caon, who has worked on the project since 2018, said it had been an 'honour' to be involved. 'We had a team of six people working on it full time for two years – things like aircraft weight, maintainability, safety and comfort all have to be weighed against the aesthetic decisions we make,' he told Daily Mail. The carrier is expected to launch a non-stop flight between Sydney and New York by the end of 2027 Airbus has been sharing images of Qantas' first A350-1000ULR and its interior since November 2025 With regard to making sleeping on board as comfortable as possible, Qantas worked in partnership with the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre to seek ways of reducing the effects of jet lag. These have involved customised lighting reflecting the 'unique quality of light in the Australian outback' and timed meal services designed to match circadian rhythms.  RBC Capital Markets analyst Owen Birrell said the new routes would give Qantas an 'unparalleled competitive advantage' in the global market. In fact, the airline expects to double the profit from its international operations in the 12 months after introducing the new planes. 'Over the past two decades, Qantas found it increasingly difficult to compete in international markets with its full service offering against the influx and expansion of low-cost and/or state sponsored rivals,' Mr Birrell said. 'In response, Qantas turned its focus to point-to-point operations where it could deliver a non-stop option and compete on service quality rather than just price.'