Qantas' A350-1000ULR: The Super Tanker in the Sky?

So, Qantas is going full throttle with their Project Sunrise, and honestly, it's pretty wild what they're planning. They're teaming up with Airbus to make this A350-1000ULR, which is basically gonna be a flying marathon runner. To pull off these crazy long flights from places like London and New York directly to Sydney, they're adding this massive 20,000-liter rear center fuel tank. Apparently, no other airline's ever ordered something like this before.

I think it's kinda crazy how far we've come with plane tech. I mean, flights almost 10,000 nautical miles long? That's next-level stuff. But I wonder how this extra tank will affect things like weight and fuel efficiency. And what about passenger comfort on such long flights? Are they planning any unique cabin features to keep people from going stir-crazy?

Anyone else think other airlines might follow suit if this works out for Qantas? Or is this just a one-off thing for special routes? Can't wait to see how this plays out!

I'm really curious about the passenger comfort angle too. Those ultra-long hauls can be brutal. I read somewhere they're planning more spacious cabins and maybe even areas to move around, which would be a game-changer. As for other airlines, I guess it depends on how successful Qantas is with this. If it draws in enough premium passengers willing to pay for the direct route, others might jump in. But those extra tanks must add a ton of weight. Wonder how that impacts overall fuel efficiency.

It's kinda like the Concorde but for distance, right? But yeah, I'm curious about the weight and fuel efficiency too. Adding a huge fuel tank might mean extra weight, so does that cancel out some efficiency gains? And about passenger comfort, I heard they might introduce some wellness areas or something to help people not lose their minds on those super long flights. If it works for Qantas, maybe airlines like Singapore or Emirates might look into similar setups for their long-haul routes.