Qantas Link first Airbus A220-300 arrived in Sydney on December 20: The plane departed on December 16 from Airbus facilities in Montreal bound for the Australian capital, making three stops on its journey.
The new aircraft features a special design, incorporating a large indigenous artwork on the fuselage. The arrival of the A220 to the Qantas fleet marks the beginning of the fleet renewal plan. These modern planes will replace the Boeing 717, offering twice the autonomy of their predecessors, allowing for non-stop flights from one end of Australia to the other.
The A220-300 registered VH-X4A departed from Mirabel Airport in Montreal, making stops in Vancouver, Honolulu, and Nadi (Fiji), to arrive four days later at Sydney International Airport.
See also: QantasLink Introduces First Airbus A220 in Fleet Renewal Effort
The plane has capacity for 137 passengers, distributed in two cabins: 10 Business seats and 127 Economy seats. The A220s will primarily connect smaller capitals like Canberra and Hobart with larger cities such as Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
Vanessa Hudson, CEO of the Qantas Group, stated, «We couldn’t be happier to welcome this new A220 aircraft, along with the benefits it will bring to our customers and career opportunities for our people. The size and autonomy of the A220 allow us to add new direct routes to our network that were previously not commercially viable.»
«A more fuel-efficient aircraft is one of the ways we are working to achieve a net-zero balance, and the A220 generates around 25% less carbon emissions than the previous generation, in addition to being much quieter. This arrival marks the beginning of the largest national fleet renewal program in Qantas’ history, as the Group will receive a new aircraft on average every three weeks over the coming years,» added Hudson.
Before regular operations commence, the aircraft will undergo regulatory approvals from the Australian aviation authority. Additionally, the time and processes will be used to familiarize ground staff and crews with the new aircraft. The A220-300 will debut on the Melbourne-Canberra route during the first quarter of 2024.
As part of the fleet modernization plan, Qantas has installed a flight simulator in Melbourne dedicated to crew training.
The second A220 for Qantas Link is already in the final assembly line in Montreal and is expected to reach the airline in January 2024. According to Airbus’ delivery schedule, Qantas is set to receive six A220 aircraft between January 2024 and mid-2025.
