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.