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Qantas receives first Airbus A321XLR; begins long-haul delivery flight

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Qantas receives first Airbus A321XLR; begins long-haul delivery flight
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Webp markus svensson
Markus Svensson CEO of Qantas Domestic | Qantas

Qantas has officially received its first Airbus A321XLR, marking a significant milestone as the first Asia-Pacific airline to operate this long-range narrowbody aircraft. The delivery flight is currently underway from Airbus's Hamburg facility to Sydney, with a scheduled stop in Bangkok. This journey exemplifies the aircraft's capabilities, covering over 8,000 kilometers between Hamburg and Bangkok in one stretch.

The A321XLR is expected to enhance Qantas's operational efficiency and flexibility. Registered as VH-OGA and operating under flight number QF6041, the aircraft departed from Finkenwerder around 09:00 local time and is set to arrive in Bangkok at 00:20 on July 1. The planned route will exceed 9,000 kilometers, making it the longest commercial flight for an A321XLR to date. After Bangkok, the plane will continue to Sydney, completing more than 7,600 kilometers and arriving shortly after 10:00 local time on Wednesday.

Powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, the A321XLR is part of the A320neo family and offers a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8704 km). It promises a 30% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to older single-aisle models. Markus Svensson, CEO of Qantas Domestic, stated: "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."

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This delivery is part of Qantas's fleet renewal program which includes orders for 28 A321XLRs. Across the group, there are plans for a total of 40 XLRs with Jetstar receiving 12 units. Additionally, Qantas has pending orders for other Airbus models including single-aisle jets and widebodies like the A350-1000.

The newly delivered aircraft will feature a two-class layout with business class seats arranged in a 2-2 format and economy seats in a 3-3 setup. Initially, three planes will have slightly denser seating with more economy seats. To prepare for these changes, Qantas installed an A320 simulator at its Sydney Flight Training Center last year to aid pilot transition from Boeing 737s.

Globally, demand for the A321XLR remains strong with over 500 orders since its launch. Currently active operators include Aer Lingus with three units (and three more pending), Iberia also with three units (and five more ordered), and Wizz Air with one unit (and commitments for another 44). Other major customers include American Airlines and United Airlines each ordering 50 units while IndiGo holds an order for 69.

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