MTOW to deliver the performance required on the Project Sunrise routes. No orders had been placed but Qantas were working with Airbus to order up to 12 aircraft, with the final decision expected within 2020. On 5 May 2020, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce announced that Project Sunrise would be put on hold due to the impact of COVID-19 on global travel. During a webcast on 6 June 2020 discussing the tourism industry, Joyce commented "I think the business case for doing it is very strong [...] When we are comfortable in doing it and have the financial strength to do it, we will be doing it." Qantas would review its project at the end of 2021, towards a 2024 start of the 21-hour flights, meaning a delay of one year. On 2 May 2022, Qantas placed a formal order for 12 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft for Project Sunrise flights to start between Sydney and London in 2025. The 238 seats will be split into 6 first class suites (three-abreast), 52 business class suites (four-abreast), 40 premium economy seats at 40″ pitch (eight-abreast) and 140 economy class seats at 33″ pitch (nine-abreast). In literature The book Beyond the Blue Horizon by travel correspondent Alexander Frater documents the author's attempt to fly all the sectors on the original 1935 Imperial/Qantas London-Brisbane route in 1984. See also Southern Cross Route – the Kangaroo Route's counterpart travelling via the Western Hemisphere Wallaby Route - Qantas' route launched in 1952 connecting Sydney to Johannesburg, South Africa by many "little hops" via Melbourne, Perth, The Cocos Islands, and Mauritius. Fiesta Route - Qantas' route that existed from 1964-1975 connecting Sydney to London via Fiji, Tahiti, Acapulco, Mexico City, The Bahamas, and Bermuda. References Airline routes Aviation in Australia Qantas