This article first appeared on GuruFocus .
Qantas Airways ( QABSY ) is facing another setback in its ultra-long-haul strategy after Airbus said the first of 12 customized A350-1000 aircraft will now arrive in April 2027, later than Qantas' prior expectation for delivery by the end of 2026. The delay adds fresh pressure to Project Sunrise, the airline's plan to launch some of the world's longest nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York. Airbus attributed the delay to supply chain issues, without giving further details.
Qantas had previously aimed to begin those direct services in mid-2027, a timeline that assumed the first A350 would arrive this year and leave room for months of test flights. The aircraft are designed with an extra fuel tank, allowing them to operate roughly 20-hour flights fully loaded and without stopping, with fuel in reserve. For investors, the strategic logic remains powerful: Qantas is trying to create a premium international advantage at a time when costs are rising and competition outside Australia is much tougher than in its domestic duopoly.
The market still leaned positive, with Qantas shares up 4.9% in Sydney as the US and Iran moved closer to a deal in a war that had disrupted energy markets and pushed jet fuel prices higher. Qantas said the next four A350s are expected to arrive quickly after the first delivery, potentially putting the broader schedule back on track by November 2027. The airline has not said when the first commercial Project Sunrise flight will take off, but it has said the A350 fleet and Project Sunrise could deliver at least A$400 million, or $287 million, in annual operating profit once all aircraft are in service.
