Qantas partnership: health and wellness in the air

Airline travel and health – before, during and after long-haul flights

Our partnership with Qantas will develop an integrated, holistic and evidence-based approach to airline travel and health.

Our researchers are working with Qantas to provide integrated health and wellbeing advice, education and research in a range of areas that have the potential to dramatically improve the experience of long-haul flying, including:

  • jetlag mitigation, circadian entrainment, sleep and light exposure
  • food and beverage services
  • physical activity
  • transit lounge design
  • evaluation and experimental design
  • education and professional training.

Project Sunrise

Qantas operated three Project Sunrise research flights from New York and London to Sydney in 2019 in partnership with the Charles Perkins Centre researchers to collect real-world passenger data. The preliminary findings show it is possible to reduce the impact of jetlag by reshaping the inflight travel experience. 

As Qantas prepares to launch its transformative Project Sunrise, it’s working with the University’s multidisciplinary Charles Perkins Centre on a unique evidence-based approach to improve customers' experience of long-haul flights.

Already, the University's partnership with Qantas has led to the development of a 4D planning system designed by our academics that reduces CO2 emissions and fuel costs with flight path optimisation.

This collaborative partnership between Qantas and our researchers is investigating ways to optimise environmental and bahavioural factors, with the aim of improving the customer experience before, during and after long-haul travel.

Charles Perkins Centre

Qantas

  • Philip Capps, Co-chair
  • Karen Gardiner
  • Dylan Calder
  • Narelle Kellahan
  • Mitchell Smith
  • Jack Bale

Principal Investigator

Professor Stephen J Simpson
Professor Stephen J Simpson
Visit Steve Simpson's profile

Research Lead

Sveta Postnova

Research Lead

Peter Cistulli
Professor Peter Cistulli
Visit Peter Cistulli's profile

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