iscover
Qantas’ first A321XLR is now en route to Sydney after departing the Airbus facility in Hamburg, Germany.
VH-OGA, named Great Ocean Road, will first travel to Bangkok before carrying on to the NSW capital, where it’s expected to touch down at 10 am on Wednesday.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
The handover of the aircraft marks the most significant moment yet in Qantas’ fleet renewal program, with the A321XLR poised to eventually replace the Boeing 737 as the backbone of the domestic fleet. Already, the carrier has a firm order for 28, but with the option to add many more.
“It has been incredibly exciting to be in Hamburg with our team to officially take delivery of our first Airbus A321XLR,” said Qantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson on Monday.
“We are proud to be the first A321XLR operator in Asia Pacific, and its arrival will mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Qantas and a significant step forward in enhancing the experience we offer our customers.”
The next-generation aircraft is five metres longer than the traditional 737-800s, with 197 seats split between 20 in business and 177 in economy, and also boasts a range 3,000km longer than its predecessor. The first leg of the delivery flight, for example, will stretch to 9,600 kilometres – the longest ever operated by a commercial airline.
Svensson said in a note to staff earlier that the aircraft’s ability to fly from Hamburg to Sydney via just one stop gave “a glimpse of what these incredible aircraft are capable of”.
“It wasn’t that long ago that one-stop flights between Australia and Europe were the domain of giant four-engine aircraft like the Boeing 747, which demonstrates just what a technological leap forward these aircraft are,” he said.
The arrival of the A321XLR is just one part of the carrier’s wider fleet renewal program, set to transform its operations over the next 20 years.
Aside from the A321XLR, Qantas will receive 29 of the smaller A220-300s to fly its domestic routes. Internationally, meanwhile, it will receive 12 new 787 Dreamliners and 12 Airbus A350s to replace the bulk of its ageing A330 fleet. It also has a separate order for 12 specially adapted A350-1000 jets to launch Project Sunrise direct flights from Europe and the US to Sydney and Melbourne.
Finally, subsidiary brand Jetstar has already begun welcoming its new fleet of 38 A320neos, comprised of 18 long-range A321LRs and 20 A321XLR aircraft – an even longer-range variant.
The news comes after Australian Aviation reported how Qantas would acquire four midlife 737-800s by the end of the year to combat delays in the arrival of its new fleet of A321XLRs, as well as overhaul the cabins of more than 40 of its existing 737s.
[email protected]
says:Congratulations QF, you are about to enter into service perhaps the worlds’ most efficient, operationally versatile and economically attractive aircraft, the A321XLR. We should note here that single aisle long haul operations are not new, it was all the world had some years ago so the modern day marketing wizzes should maybe take a look back at it’s history. Domestic and long haul travel is not the same, the two don’t mix and never will. The new QF Chairman has stated his concerns about “Crap” service and just maybe he should check out “Crap” conditions for the customer which can clearly be identified in the new aircraft seating configuration. QF has chosen a high density domestic seating plan, one size fits all, wrong! the chosen ECY pitch of 30 ins is 6 ins shorter than the industry standard of over 50 years ago yet the average customer has gotten larger and heavier. The new JCL seat pitch of 37 ins is 1 ins more than the old ECY pitch of 36 ins and 5 ins shorter than the old FCL industry standard. Now this may well suit short hops about our East coast but is just not suitable for even an East West Oz transit let along a northbound SYD BKK/KUL/SIN not forgetting say SYD HNL and return. Some peoples’ tolerance today to cramped, confined situations is wanting and it is not because of what they have done! – that condition has been imposed upon them and it should be corrected. If the passenger was an animal, traveling below deck it has to be afforded the space to sit down, turn around and stand up. In the case of the QF Ecy seat I think the average punter there would fail that test. QF has stated that there are “Extra led room seats” which I suspect are the normal exit row requirements but what I am suggesting is that QF offers a choice to their customers, yes there will be a market for the 30ins pitch traveller but offer the choice of more space and comfort for us more needy(big) travellers and price it reasonably too! We have to remember, there are other and often better options out there so my friends at QF, operation digital removal, lets go.
David Reed
says:Boeing, like Bell Helicopters in the past have been left in the dust by Airbus. There will be a lot of surplus B737’s on the market in coming years. Being a fairly frequent flyer in WA I much prefer the A320 to the sardine can 737’s.