Australian flag carrier Qantas has placed an order for more Airbus A350s and Boeing B787 Dreamliners as part of its fleet renewal program.
More A350s and B787s
The Qantas Group has placed a firm order for 24 wide-body aircraft, split evenly between Airbus and Boeing. These aircraft will help the airline replace its existing A330s.
The order is split between 12 Airbus A350-1000s, 4 Boeing B787-8s and 8 Boeing B787-9s. These A350s are in addition to the 12 A350s already ordered. The Group has also negotiated additional purchase right options, split evenly between both manufacturers, to give flexibility for future growth and ultimately replace its 10 A380s with A350s from around 2032 onwards. These 24 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered from 2027, with deliveries continuing well into the next decade.
Qantas’ A330 aircraft mostly operate on international flights to Asia and the United States as well as some domestic flights. The airline says that the longer range delivered by the B787 and A350 aircraft on order means they will be able to operate all the routes on the airline’s current international network, as well as open up new ones.
The average age of Qantas’ A330 fleet will be 21 years at the time the replacement program starts in 227, which is in line with the Group’s typical replacement profile. Aircraft scheduled to leave the Qantas fleet towards the end of the replacement program will undergo a cabin refurbishment from 2025, including next-generation seats in the Economy cabin.
Qantas has named its international fleet renewal ‘Project Fysh’ in honour of Sir Hudson Fysh who co-founded the airline and was Managing Director when it commenced international flying in 1935.
This is another multi-billion dollar investment in the national carrier and it’s great news for our customers and our people. It’s in addition to the 149 firm aircraft we still have on order to continue renewing the domestic fleet for Qantas and Jetstar, and for the non-stop Project Sunrise flights to London and New York. Both the 787 and A350, and the GE and Rolls Royce engines fitted to them, are thoroughly proven and extremely capable. These are generational decisions for this company. The aircraft will arrive over a decade or more and they’ll be part of the fleet for 20 years. They’ll unlock new routes and better travel experiences for customers, and new jobs and promotions for our people.
said Alan Joyce, CEO, Qantas Group.
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SAF Agreement
As part of the deal with both Airbus and Boeing, Qantas will secure access to up to 500 million litres of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) per annum that would start to flow from 2028. This has the potential to meet up to 90% of the Group’s interim SAF target for 2030.
Access to these supplies will be enabled by partnering with Boeing and Airbus on SAF projects, including in the United States. Qantas expects to purchase the SAF at favourable prices due to supportive government policies in the United States.
As a direct alternative to traditional jet kerosene, SAF reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% and is a key part of Qantas’ emissions reduction plan.
Updates about new incoming aircraft
The Qantas Group is on track to receive the first two QantasLink A220 aircraft by the end of this calendar year. The group says that the subsequent deliveries are expected to be delayed by up to four months as a result of supply chain disruption. The first of seven mid-life A320 family aircraft to meet growing resources flying and Jetstar Asia recovery are expected to arrive before the end of December 2023.
Twenty-two of the previously announced E190s wet-leased from Alliance Airlines are scheduled to have joined the Qantas fleet by the end of December 2023. Two more A321 converted freighters are expected to arrive by the end of December 2023. Jetstar’s 18 Airbus A321LRs are on track to enter the fleet by the end of calendar year 2024, with a further 20 A321LRs and A321XLRs set to be delivered by 2029.
The first of 12 Airbus A350-1000ULRs (Ultra Long Range) for Project Sunrise are on track to arrive sometime in 2026.
Featured image by Qantas
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