Quantcast

Qantas receives first Airbus A321XLR amid fleet renewal

Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 22, 2025)
First new Qantas Airbus jets come with one toilet for every 90 economy passengers – worse than Jetstar, Scoot and Ryanair
Breeze Airways becomes the first new US flag carrier in a decade — just as rival Spirit fights its 2nd bankruptcy
Airport runway close calls spur hopes for wider adoption of cockpit alert technology
Family sues American Airlines over deadly crash near National Airport
United Airlines briefly grounds all flights in US, Canada for second time in 2 months
2025 Air Canada flight attendants strike
Spirit Airlines preparing to furlough one-third of its flight attendants
‘Hypocrisy’ and ‘blackmail’: Ryanair’s feud with Spain
Exclusive: Turkey's surprise Air Europa deal came down to one key thing: control
Major airline launches exciting new route from Scotland to popular US location
Airlines fear carbon tax as flagship climate scheme develops holes
Ryanair scraps three Vienna routes, demands lower taxes and fees
Turkish Airlines has no intention of raising stake in Spain's Air Europa, chairman says
US lawmakers want Trump to reinstate delay compensation plan for air travelers
IATA pushes to raise international pilot retirement age to 67
US orders Delta and Aeromexico to dissolve their partnership over fairness concerns in Mexico
Southwest’s New Wheelchair Policy Will Require Passengers to Remove 1 Item Before Boarding — What to Know
Aviation expansion: IndiGo to start direct Mumbai-Copenhagen flights from Oct 8; marks entry into Nordics - The Times of India
Major change for ALL Aer Lingus passengers flying from busy airport to offer 'modern and streamlined' experience
Southwest Airlines adds Sonoma County in California expansion - The Points Guy
Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 8, 2025)
Delta Sees Record Premium Seats in '26, Main Cabin Flat or Down
Southwest requiring removal of batteries from mobility devices before boarding
Qantas’ milestone move for huge, new planes
EasyJet to launch 11 new flight routes from small UK airport named the best in Europe
Tycoon unveils £25 billion rival Heathrow expansion plan
Boeing and Airbus ground green plane projects
50 New Routes Launching In September 2025
JetBlue's Network Shake-Up: Its Top 10 Routes This Month
Qantas receives first Airbus A321XLR amid fleet renewal
Policy
Webp ce12j9cthweiupw4t58m92m5r97h
Geoffrey Thomas Editor-In-Chief - US Bureau Chief | Airline Ratings

Qantas has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR, marking a significant milestone in the airline's fleet renewal program. The aircraft, named VH-OGA Great Ocean Road, departed from the Airbus facility in Hamburg, Germany, and is expected to arrive in Sydney on July 2.

The journey includes a historic flight from Hamburg to Bangkok as QF6041, covering over 9,600 kilometers—the longest A321XLR flight operated by a commercial airline. From Bangkok, it will continue to Sydney, totaling more than 7,600 kilometers and arriving shortly after 10 am on Wednesday. The entire trip spans 42 hours door-to-door with 21 hours of flying time.

This event follows the successful customer acceptance flight last Tuesday and represents an important step for Qantas. The A321XLR offers a range of 8,700 kilometers (4,700 nautical miles), the longest for any narrowbody aircraft. This opens new opportunities for Qantas.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Training for the new aircraft involved over 45,000 hours across nearly 1,000 team members including pilots and cabin crew. The aircraft is part of an order of 28 A321XLRs and features enhancements such as wider economy seats and larger windows compared to the Boeing 737.

The A321XLR also supports sustainable air travel with advanced materials that reduce fuel burn and emissions per seat on comparable routes versus older models.

Markus Svensson, CEO of Qantas Domestic stated: "It has been incredibly exciting to be in Hamburg with our team to officially take delivery of our first Airbus A321XLR. We are proud to be the first A321XLR operator in Asia Pacific."

Sharon Petersen from AirlineRatings.com added: "The A321XLR will open up a new suite of options for the Qantas network... For passengers, there’s greater overhead luggage space...and slightly wider seat width compared to the 737s."

The delivery flight can be tracked via Flightradar24.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a former employee of dnata Airport Services was unfairly dismissed and awarded $36,468.39 in compensation.

Oct 22, 2025

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has announced the closure of Terminal 5 to allow for a significant redevelopment.

Oct 22, 2025

The SFO Facility recently hosted a Breast Cancer Awareness Day, which was deemed a success by organizers.

Oct 22, 2025

Flying Food Group, Inc. recently held an appreciation event at its SFW facility to honor its employees.

Oct 22, 2025

Flying Food Group has announced that it contributes all of its taxable income annually to the Chicago-based Sue L. Gin Foundation Trust, which supports healthcare, education, legal aid, and immigration rights.

Oct 21, 2025

Eileen Ho, the Human Resources Manager of Flying Food Group, announced that the company will implement wage increases for cooks and coordinators following a lack of response from Unite Here to its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Oct 21, 2025