People track 24hr Qantas flight from Melbourne to Toulouse: Pilot shifts, fuel tank and other details

More than 3.6 million people tracked Qantas’s A350-1000ULR return test flight from Melbourne to Toulouse, following a previous non-stop record attempt from Toulouse to Melbourne. The aircraft is the ultra-long-range version Airbus designed specifically for Qantas, featuring an additional rear center fuel tank holding 20,900 liters to extend its nonstop capability by about 1,000 nautical miles. In the latest flight, the jet departed Melbourne on July 27 and landed in Toulouse on July 28 after 24 hours and 25 minutes, covering 12,460 nautical miles. The earlier Toulouse-to-Melbourne leg lasted 19 hours and 13 minutes on July 23-24. Qantas plans to start scheduled ultra-long-haul services in October 2027, including Sydney–London and Sydney–New York.