Qantas has opened commercial bookings for its first Airbus A321XLR aircraft, marking a milestone in its fleet renewal programme.
The first two A321XLRs, Great Ocean Road (VH-OGA) and Outback Way (VH-OGB), are scheduled to carry passengers on Sydney-Melbourne and Sydney-Perth flights from Thursday 25 September, pending regulatory approval.
The new aircraft will feature wider seats, larger windows, fast free Wi-Fi, and overhead bins that can hold roughly 60 per cent more bags than the Boeing 737s they replace.
Qantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson said the airline’s customers will be among the first in the Asia Pacific to fly on the next-generation A321XLR.
“The inaugural commercial flight will take off from Sydney for Perth, giving customers the very first taste of the comfort, space and connectivity these aircraft bring,” Svensson said.
“These next generation aircraft mark an exciting new chapter for Qantas. We know many of our customers have been waiting for the opportunity to fly onboard these new aircraft, just as our teams have been looking forward to flying them.
“The extended flight range will also enable us to operate these aircraft on both domestic and short haul international routes, including destinations across South East Asia and the Pacific Islands that are not currently viable with our current narrowbody fleet.”
Qantas’ third A321XLR, Seven Peaks Walk (VH-OGC), recently rolled out of the paint shop in Hamburg. Delivery is expected in November, and by the end of the financial year, Qantas plans to have seven A321XLRs in service.
The airline recently expanded its A321XLR order to 48 aircraft. Sixteen of these planes will feature lie-flat Business seats and seat-back entertainment for longer domestic and short-to-medium haul international routes, including transcontinental flights to and from Perth.
Bookings opened at 9am this morning on Qantas.com.
A321XLR commercial flights on 25 September
- QF645 – Sydney 10.35am – Perth 1.35pm
- QF650 – Perth 2.35pm – Sydney 8.40pm
- QF467 – Sydney 4.20pm – Melbourne 5.55pm
- QF484 – Melbourne 6.50pm – Sydney 8.15pm
A321XLR facts
- The aircraft is five metres longer than the 737 and seats 197 passengers (20 Business, 177 Economy), a 13 per cent increase in total seat capacity with no reduction in space between seats and a 66 per cent increase in premium seats.
- Maximum range is around 8,700km, about 3,000km further than the 737, enabling a wider range of direct domestic and short haul international flights.
- Powered by Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan engines (PW1100G-JM).
- Quieter than previous generation aircraft.
- Expected to generate lower carbon emissions per seat than the 737 on comparable routes.
- Fleet names reference Australian walks, rivers and roads, highlighting iconic travel opportunities and connections across the country.
