Qantas draws inspiration from Australian landscapes for customizable cabin lighting
Qantas to introduce customizable cabin lighting as part of Project Sunrise
Qantas’ upcoming Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights are set to help minimize jetlag and improve passenger wellbeing via customizable cabin lighting that reflects Australian landscapes.
The design comes after 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 A350 cabin mockup, the press release said.
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.
Based on modelling of circadian rhythms, the Charles Perkins Centre advised the optimal spectral irradiances for light to promote circadian adaption, sleep and wake for passengers. These were implemented and tested throughout the lighting workshops in Hamburg and adjusted for eye comfort and aesthetic.
The lighting sequence will be tailored to help passengers adjust to their destination time zone before arrival. The trial has produced a series of 12 lighting scenes specifically for the Project Sunrise flights. These include:
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“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 ambience.
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“Sunset”: An immersive transition from a daytime mode into dark that moves through the colours of a sunset into a night sky with moonlight and slow cloud effect to relax customers and prepare them for sleep.
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“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 display Welcome and Farewell lighting scenes for boarding and disembarking, as well as tailored scenes for taxi, take-off and landing and sleep.
The Wellbeing Zone will use soft blue-enriched light to create 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 the Wellbeing Zone while the rest of the cabin is dark.
The six enclosed First Suites will offer a fully customizable lighting sequence for their environment means passengers can choose the time zone they want to be on for the duration of the flight.
Qantas International CEO, Cam Wallace, said, “These world-first flights have been an opportunity for us to work with experts and build on our experience of long-haul flying to rethink the inflight experience with a focus on customer wellbeing and combating the effects of jetlag. One of the things that was clear from the research is the importance of light cycles and brightness in setting the body clock and that was the basis of this testing.”
He added, “Combined with the design of the cabins, specialized meal planning, and the movement program, this unique lighting sequence will help improve our customers’ comfort in the air and minimize their jetlag when they arrive at their destination.”
Australian industrial designer, David Caon, said the lighting workshops followed more than five years of cabin design with Qantas to maximize passenger wellbeing inflight.
“Aircraft lighting doesn’t cross the mind of most travellers but the external light cycle of night and day has more impact on our circadian rhythm and the impact of jetlag than any other factor,” said Caon. “The Charles Perkins Centre provided us the ideal spectral irradiance for wake and sleep and these workshops were about crafting a beautiful ambiance which was guided by that science and exceptional design principles.”
Caon said that every part of the Project Sunrise A350 cabins was specially designed for Qantas.
Joost van der Heijden, SVP & Global Head Of Marketing, Airbus Commercial Aircraft also commented: “The A350 Airspace cabin has been designed to provide passengers with the best possible flight experience. This includes more personal space, the quietest cabin in the sky, highest air quality and full connectivity throughout. And the unique and innovative state-of-the-art LED lighting system offers over 16 million colour combinations, enabling airlines to fully customize their offerings.”
Qantas will be the first airline in the world to offer a purpose-built Wellbeing Zone, the airline said in its press release. The Wellbeing Zone will be located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins featuring sculpted wall panels and integrated stretch handles, guided on-screen exercise program, a hydration station and a range of refreshments.
