Quantcast

Qantas introduces scientifically designed cabin lights aimed at reducing jetlag

Flight made emergency landing in Denver after reported animal strike and engine fire
General Dynamics says G800 jet receives FAA, EASA certifications
United Airlines doubles down on Chicago roots with new O'Hare billboards
Gatwick airport strikes, Easter 2025: will my flight be cancelled?
Boarding passes and check-in could be scrapped in air travel shake-up
European air traffic warning means summer delays for holidaymakers
The EU rule change that could affect millions of Brits when their flight is delayed or cancelled
Delta Earnings Land Soon. Why They’re Key for Airline Stocks and the Economy.
Avelo Airlines to Operate Deportation Flights, Hiring Flight Attendants
Travel chaos 2025: all the strikes and disruption expected across Europe
Qatar Airways accelerates Starlink wifi implementation
Southwest Airlines extends flight schedule through early April 2025
Cathay Pacific reaches 3,400 pilots this year, with low resignation rate of 2.9%
Qatar Airways Nears Boeing 777 Fleet-Wide Starlink Upgrade
United receives FAA approval for first Starlink-equipped planes
50 New Routes Launching In April 2025
Qantas launches mammoth Asia flight sale including Bali and Japan
New Update from Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue Airways, and Sunwing: Airline Capacity Between Canada and US Slashed as Bookings Plummet Seventy Per Cent
Delta Cuts Two Domestic Routes
United Airlines Technicians Reject ‘Dead on Arrival’ Contract Proposal, Teamsters Say
The State of the Asia Pacific Airline Industry
Spirit Airlines to add Detroit nonstop flight out of Bradley International Airport
Major airline to launch new direct flights from Scotland to North America
Ryanair launches new ‘prime’ membership which saves passengers more than £400 a year
Judge Orders Boeing to Trial on 737 MAX Case
Qantas’ free international Wi-Fi to switch on from next week
The real reason Southwest is charging for bags now
Air France-KLM in ongoing talks with Air Europa on potential stake, CEO says
Frontier Savagely Shades Southwest After They Eliminated Longstanding Free Bag Policy, Sparking Backlash
Frontier Wants You to 'Divorce Your Old Airline' After Southwest Changes
Qantas introduces scientifically designed cabin lights aimed at reducing jetlag
Research
Webp qj5munmfs624bdp2bm4w8syr8zw8
Joe Petrie Editor & Chief | AviationPros

Unique and customizable cabin lighting inspired by the colors of the Australian landscape and grounded in science will be featured on Qantas’ upcoming Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights to help minimize jetlag and improve customer wellbeing.

The design is a result of more than 150 hours of testing in the Airbus Customer Definition Centre in Hamburg, where representatives from Qantas, Airbus, the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, and Caon Design Office created and tested hundreds of lighting patterns and sequences in an Airbus A350 cabin mockup.

Qantas and the Charles Perkins Centre last year released preliminary findings on how to potentially reduce the impacts of jetlag by reshaping the inflight travel experience, based on world-first research conducted during test flights for Qantas’ Project Sunrise program.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Based on state-of-the-art modeling of circadian rhythms, the Charles Perkins Centre advised the optimal spectral irradiances for light to promote circadian adaptation, sleep, and wake. These were implemented and tested throughout the lighting workshops in Hamburg and adjusted for eye comfort and appearance.

The lighting sequence will be tailored to help passengers adjust to their destination time zone before they set foot on the ground.

The trial has produced a series of 12 unique lighting scenes specifically for Project Sunrise flights, including:

“Awake”: Broad-spectrum, blue-enriched lighting to help customers adjust to the destination time zone and help them stay awake; a softer version is available for crew to choose based on cabin mood and ambiance.

“Sunset”: An immersive transition from a daytime mode into dark that moves through the colors of a sunset into a night sky with moonlight and slow cloud effect to relax customers and prepare them for sleep.

“Sunrise”: Dynamic lighting effective for a transition from night to day that replicates an Australian sunrise rolling from the front of the cabin to the rear.

The main cabin will also have Welcome and Farewell lighting scenes for boarding and disembarking, as well as tailored scenes for taxiing, take-off, landing, and sleep.

The Wellbeing Zone will feature soft blue-enriched light creating a daytime sky effect with slow-moving clouds during ‘the day’ to keep customers awake, and a moonlight-inspired scene with reflections of water rippling to relax customers who spend time in this area while the rest of the cabin is in a dark period.

In a first for the airline, six enclosed First Suites will offer fully customizable lighting sequences that allow customers to choose their preferred time zone throughout their flight duration.

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace stated that scientifically informed lighting design was another critical component in preparing for Project Sunrise flights. “These world-first flights have been an opportunity for us to work with experts...to rethink the inflight experience with a focus on customer wellbeing,” said Wallace. “Combined with...specialized meal planning...this unique lighting sequence will help improve our customers’ comfort...and minimize their jetlag.”

Australian Industrial Designer David Caon noted that aircraft lighting significantly impacts circadian rhythm. “Using...the Australian landscape as inspiration,...we’ve curated an immersive suite...to help travelers best adjust...and improve their inflight wellbeing,” said Caon.

Joost van der Heijden from Airbus Commercial Aircraft highlighted that Qantas utilized Airbus' LED system offering over 16 million color combinations. “Qantas has taken full advantage...to create science-based specific effects that will help passengers adapt,” he said.

Dr. Sveta Postnova from Charles Perkins Centre remarked positively about applying circadian science practically: “It’s great to see circadian science being translated into practice.”

Qantas revealed these customized schemes at Airbus’ Airspace Customer Showroom in Toulouse where they temporarily displayed a life-size mock-up of Project Sunrise Wellbeing Zone. The airline will be first globally offering this purpose-built Wellbeing Zone between Premium Economy and Economy cabins featuring sculpted wall panels integrated stretch handles among other amenities recently recognized at Crystal Cabin Awards under "Passenger Comfort."

---

Organizations Included in this History
More News

On April 22, Earth Day is observed as a time to honor the planet and acknowledge the power individuals have to protect it.

Apr 23, 2025

Flying Food Group has been recognized for its commitment to sustainability with a reforestation certificate from Flex Technology Group.

Apr 23, 2025

From October 2025, Lufthansa Group, in partnership with Visa, is set to introduce a new online payment option called 'Click to Pay' on the booking portals of its airlines—Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines.

Apr 23, 2025

Emirates is making strides in accessible travel initiatives as part of its operational strategy.

Apr 23, 2025

Flight attendant Ali Bahreman has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to consider his case challenging a contract that barred him from using his seniority to bid on flight assignments due to his refusal to join the Transportation Workers Union (TWU).

Apr 23, 2025

Holland America Line has unveiled its planned itineraries for the 2027 Grand Voyage cruises.

Apr 23, 2025