Qantas has announced an order for an additional 20 Airbus A321XLR aircraft, including the introduction of lie-flat Business seats on its narrowbody aircraft for the first time.
The expansion of the Group’s largest ever fleet renewal program will see 16 of the 20 additional A321XLRs configured with lie-flat Business seats and seatback entertainment screens to serve longer routes, including transcontinental services to and from Perth, and short and medium-haul international routes.
The new configuration A321XLRs will begin arriving in 2028, taking the airline’s total order for the next generation A321XLR to 48 aircraft.
Qantas’ first two A321XLRs, which are configured for domestic and short-haul international flying, are expected to start operating commercial flights in mid-September, making Qantas the first airline in Asia-Pacific to operate the aircraft type. By the end of this financial year Qantas will have seven of the aircraft type.
Jetstar’s A321XLRs will begin to arrive from 2027 and will be fitted with a two-class cabin to suit international travel.
“Investing in new aircraft is one of the most significant ways that we can provide our customers with a better flying experience and these billion-dollar investments are possible because of our continued strong financial performance,” said Vanessa Hudson, CEO, Qantas Group. “These additional A321XLRs will accelerate the retirement of our 737 fleet and open up new opportunities for domestic and international travel, allowing us to reach destinations that aren’t possible with our current narrowbody fleet. Not only will the A321XLRs help us serve the corporate market travelling between Perth and the east coast of Australia, they will also allow us to expand flying on existing routes into South East Asia and open up new possibilities like Perth-India and Adelaide-Singapore. The lie-flat Business seats, seatback screens and fast and free WiFi will provide a consistent premium experience for our customers who fly domestically with Qantas and connect onto our long-haul services. All of the next generation aircraft joining our fleet benefit from longer range, more comfort, less noise, better economics and will improve how people travel around Australia and overseas. It also means we’re recruiting and training more pilots, cabin crew and engineers, creating opportunities for our people.”
You may also be interested in
12 technology and CX trends that can enhance airline and airport operations in 2025
