This airline will soon receive its first Airbus A321XLR

Qantas get closer to delivery of A321XLR

By Mark Reif Published December 2, 2024

Qantas A321XLR — Qantas

Qantas is getting closer to receiving its initial Airbus A321XLR, which is beginning final assembly at the Airbus plant in Hamburg, Germany. The plane will be a milestone in the airline’s fleet renewal program, providing enhanced comfort and range and opening up more nonstop routes.

Qantas has 28 A321XLRs on order

Qantas A321XLR — Qantas

Qantas’ initial Airbus A321XLR is scheduled for delivery in April 2025. It’ll be the first of 28 firm orders, with the option to purchase more. During the next decade, Qantas will replace its fleet of Boeing 737s with the new plane and be the first airline using it in the Asia Pacific region. The Australian airline’s A321XLR promises more comfort, efficiency, and range.

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Compared to the prior 737, the A321XLR features 13% more seating capacity, with 20 business seats and 177 economy seats. It can fly about 3,000 km further than the outgoing plane, which has a range of 8,700 km. That’ll open up options for nonstop routes, both domestic and international. The cabin, designed by David Caon, focuses on comfort and uses slightly wider seats.

To commemorate Australia’s amazing travel opportunities, Qantas’ first A321XLR will be named “Great Ocean Road”.

Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said: “These new aircraft are part of the biggest domestic fleet renewal program in Qantas’ history, which is bringing significant improvements for customers and career opportunities for our people. The A321XLR is a fantastic aircraft, which provides a more comfortable flight for customers and the longer range will in time give us the opportunity to explore more non-stop routes and operate them more efficiently.”

Mark Reif is a writer from Stowe, Vermont. During the winter, he works as a snowboard coach and rides more than 100 days. The…

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