Qantas’ first A321XLR aircraft has entered the final stages of its assembly process at Airbus’ factory in Hamburg, Germany.
The aircraft, which is scheduled to be delivered in April 2025, will be the first of 28 A321XLR aircraft on firm order as part of the replacement of the of the carrier's 737s over the next decade.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson commented: “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.”
Hudson continued: “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.”
Earlier this month, Iberia was the first airline globally to operate a commercial flight with the A321XLR, with the new aircraft type initially operating on domestic flights currently operated by 737 aircraft.
In addition, Qantas engineering has received almost 800 pieces of new tooling and pilot training is underway with pilots spending up to 60 hours in the new simulator before stepping into the flight deck.