summary
- QantasLink has taken delivery of its first A220 aircraft, marking the start of a major fleet renewal program.
- The A220 will undergo regulatory approval and familiarization flights before entering service in the first quarter of 2024.
- The A220’s range and economy will enable Qantas to explore new routes, reduce carbon emissions and meet sustainability goals.
The first A220 to join QantasLink’s fleet arrived in Sydney from Airbus Canada’s factory in Mirabel, Canada, via multiple stops. The jet is the first of 29 A220s to join Qantas’ regional brands.
First QantasLink A220 delivered
The brand new Airbus A220-300 (registration number: VH-X4A) arrived in Sydney just after noon on December 20th after a long journey from Mirabel (YMX) with stops in Vancouver (YVR), Honolulu (HNL) and Nadi (NAN). I landed. )In the middle. The plane departed from the Airbus Canada facility in Mirabel at 10:25 a.m. local time on December 16, and took more than three days to reach its destination in Sydney.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson commented:
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome this new A220 aircraft and the benefits it brings to our customers and the career opportunities for our people. It marks the beginning of the largest domestic fleet renewal program.”The Group will deliver, on average, one new aircraft every three weeks over the next few years. ”
This will be the first Airbus A220 to operate in Australia, but it will not enter service immediately. Before that, the aircraft must undergo various regulatory approvals and familiarization flights before entering service, scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.
VH-X4A sports a striking indigenous livery that took approximately 100 painters to complete. The design by Pijandjachara artist Marinka Baker is made up of approximately 20,000 dots and took two weeks to complete.The name of the jet has been decided Minima Cuchara Jukurpawhich translates to “The Creation Story of Two Sisters.”
Qantas Airbus A220 to transform Australia’s regional operations in 2024
After decades of ‘same old’, Australians are finally seeing new technology aircraft like the Airbus A220 on domestic and regional routes.
Melbourne to Canberra
The new jet’s first revenue flight will be on QantasLink’s Melbourne (MEL) to Canberra (CBR) route. The A220 will be operated by Australian regional airline National Jet Systems, which operates under the QantasLink brand. The airline currently operates a fleet of Boeing 717s, which will be phased out by June 2024 and replaced by A220s.
Photo: Qantas
The new A220 can seat up to 137 passengers in two classes, 10 in business and 127 in economy.
The future of regional fleets
The aircraft, along with Qantas’ next Airbus A321XLR, will form the backbone of Qantas’ regional operations for the next 20 years. The A220’s superior range (almost twice that of the 717) and economy will enable Qantas to expand its exciting network and explore new routes not previously possible.
Photo: Airbus
CEO Hudson added:
“The size and range of the A220 means we can add new direct routes to our network that may not have previously been commercially viable.”
In addition, the aircraft will reduce carbon emissions by around 25% compared to previous generation aircraft, helping Qantas achieve its sustainability goals. Qantas will welcome its next A220 aircraft in January 2024, with a further five A220 aircraft scheduled to be delivered between January 2024 and mid-2025. In the past 12 months, Qantas has welcomed 13 new aircraft, including nine Jetstar Airbus A321LRs and three mainline Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
