Quantas Adding Circadian Lighting To Long-Haul Flights

David Shiller July 30, 2024

Quantas Airlines is receiving its first delivery of ultra long-haul aircrafts from Airbus in mid-2026, the Airbus A350-1000. The new planes, dubbed Project Sunrise, will enable flights from Sydney to London and New York. Among many new features on the Quantas A350s will be a new circadian lighting system with claims that helps passengers arrive awake, alert, and refreshed at their destination.

The new circadian lighting system will introduce 12 lighting scenes sequenced to different stages of the flight. These include “Welcome” and “Farewell” scenes. Blue-enhanced lighting spectrum will help stimulate passengers and help them adjust to changing time zones. The crew will have the ability to soften scenes based on cabin mood. A designated lounge is called the Wellbeing Zone, which all passengers can use to stretch their legs, stand, relax, or socialize. See the first image below.

At sleeping times, the lighting will simulate a sunset transition into a moonlit night sky with a slow-moving cloud effect, intended to be relaxing. For waking, the cabin will gradually light up from the front of the aircraft to the rear in a simulated sunrise. Other scenes will be designed for taxi, take-off, and landing, depending on time of day.

Six first-class suites (see image above) allow passengers to set lighting to personal preferences. Quantas claims the Quantas A350 lighting system helps reduce jetlag and improve overall passenger wellness. More information is available here and here.

All Images: Quantas.com

David Shiller

David Shiller is the Publisher of LightNOW, and Senior Business Development Consultant at Capacity Consulting, a North American consulting firm providing business development services to advanced lighting manufacturers. The ALA awarded David the Pillar of the Industry Award. David has been co-chair of the ALA’s Engineering Committee since 2010. David established MaxLite’s OEM component sales into a multi-million dollar division. He invented GU24 lamps while leading ENERGY STAR lighting programs for the US EPA. David has been published in leading lighting publications, including LD+A, enLIGHTenment Magazine, LEDs Magazine, and more.

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