Qantas’ upcoming Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights will feature cabin lighting inspired by the colors of the Australian landscape and based on circadian science, aimed at reducing jet lag and enhancing passenger well-being.
The cabin lighting design, featuring simulations of sunsets and sunrises, is the result of over 150 hours of testing at the Airbus Customer Definition Center in Hamburg. This collaborative effort involved representatives from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Center, Qantas, Airbus, and Caon Design Studio, who developed and tested various lighting patterns and sequences in an Airbus A350 cabin mock-up.
Lighting plays a crucial role in regulating our body clocks. By adjusting the timing, intensity, and wavelengths of light during a flight, it is possible to help passengers acclimate to their destination’s time zone and reduce jet lag.
Last year, Qantas and the Charles Perkins Center released initial findings from research flights on how optimizing light, meals, and exercise on board affects jet lag. Now, they are advancing this by refining the lighting colors.
Associate Professor Sveta Postnova, an expert in circadian modeling at the Charles Perkins Center and the School of Physics, commented, “It’s exciting to see circadian science applied practically. The new lighting scenarios for the A350 were designed to enhance the circadian effects of light at various stages of the flight while also considering light appearance, ambiance, safety, and onboard hardware. It was a genuine team effort.”
The trial produced 12 distinct lighting scenes specifically for the Project Sunrise flights, including:
– “Awake”: Blue-enriched lighting to help passengers adjust to the destination time zone and stay alert.
– “Sunset”: A transition from daytime to night, mimicking a sunset and moving through moonlight and cloud effects to relax passengers and prepare them for sleep.
– “Sunrise”: Dynamic lighting that simulates an Australian sunrise, transitioning from the front to the rear of the cabin.
The Charles Perkins Center advised on light wavelengths that most effectively influence the body clock, focusing on melanopic illuminance, which affects circadian rhythms. High melanopic illuminance (such as blue-enriched light) aids in shifting body clocks, while long-wavelength light (like red) helps prevent undesired shifts.
Lighting scenarios were adjusted for eye comfort and appearance during workshops in Hamburg. These sequences are tailored to each flight to help passengers adapt to their destination’s time zone before arrival.
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace noted that the scientifically designed lighting is a key component of Project Sunrise, which will provide non-stop flights from Australia’s east coast to London and New York.
“These pioneering flights have allowed us to collaborate with experts and rethink the inflight experience, focusing on customer well-being and mitigating jet lag,” said Wallace. “Research highlights the importance of light cycles and brightness in regulating the body clock, which guided this testing. Combined with cabin design, specialized meal planning, and movement programs, this unique lighting sequence aims to enhance passenger comfort and reduce jet lag.”
Qantas showcased the customized lighting schemes at Airbus’ Airspace Customer Showroom in Toulouse, where a life-size mock-up of the Project Sunrise Well-being Zone is temporarily displayed.