Summary
- Qantaslink has received its first A220 aircraft, marking the beginning of a serious fleet renewal program.
- The A220 will undergo regulatory approvals and familiarization flights before entering service in Q1 2024.
- The A220’s range and economics will allow Qantas to open up latest routes and reduce carbon emissions to satisfy sustainability targets.
The primary A220 to affix the Qantaslink fleet has arrived in Sydney following a multi-stop journey from the Airbus Canada factory in Mirabel, Canada. The jet is the primary of 29 A220s to affix Qantas’ regional brand.
First Qantaslink A220 delivered
The brand-new Airbus A220-300 (registration: VH-X4A) landed in Sydney just after midday on December twentieth following a lengthy journey from Mirabel (YMX), stopping off at Vancouver (YVR), Honolulu (HNL) and Nadi (NAN) along the best way. The plane departed the Airbus Canada facility in Mirabel at 10:25 local time on December sixteenth, taking up three days to achieve its destination in Sydney.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson commented,
This will likely be the primary Airbus A220 in operation in Australia, but won’t be entering service instantly. Before that happens, the plane might want to undergo various regulatory approvals and familiarization flights before an expected entry-to-service in the primary quarter of 2024.
VH-X4A will showcase a striking indigenous livery that took roughly 100 painters to finish. The design, by Pitjantjatjara artist Maringka Baker, comprises around 20,000 dots and took two weeks to finish. The jet has been named , which translates to ‘the 2 sisters creation story.’
Qantas Airbus A220s Will Transform Australian Regional Flying In 2024
After a long time of ‘sameness’, Australians are ultimately seeing latest technology aircraft, just like the Airbus A220, on their domestic and regional routes.
Melbourne-Canberra route
The brand new jet’s first revenue flights will likely be on Qantaslink’s Melbourne (MEL) – Canberra (CBR) route. The A220 will likely be operated by Australian regional carrier National Jet Systems, which flies under the Qantaslink brand. The airline currently operates a fleet of Boeing 717s, that are set to be phased out and replaced with the A220 by June 2024.
Photo: Qantas
The brand new A220s will seat as much as 137 passengers in a two-class configuration, with ten in business and 127 in economy.
The long run of the regional fleet
The aircraft, together with Qantas’ incoming Airbus A321XLRs, will form the backbone of the airline’s regional operations for the following twenty years. The A220s’ superior range (around twice that of the 717) and economics will enable Qantas to make some exciting network expansions, opening up latest routes that weren’t possible before.
Photo: Airbus
CEO Hudson added,
Moreover, the plane offers around 25% less carbon emissions in comparison with previous-generation aircraft, helping Qantas reach its sustainability targets. Qantas will welcome its next A220 in January 2024 and is scheduled to take delivery of 5 more A220s between January 2024 and mid-2025. Previously 12 months, Qantas has welcomed 13 latest aircraft, including nine Airbus A321LRs at Jetstar and three Boeing 787 Dreamliners for the mainline fleet.