Qantas has taken delivery of its first Airbus A220 from Airbus’ facility in Mirabel, Canada.
Australia’s national carrier becomes the 1st operator in Australia and the 20th worldwide.
The aircraft is the first of 29 A220s ordered by the Qantas Group for operation by QantasLink, their regional airline that serves metropolitan and regional destinations across Australia.
Qantas expects the second A220 to be delivered in January 2024, another five by mid-2025 and all the others by 2027.
As the first A220 to be operated in Australia, the aircraft, registered as VH-X4A, will undergo regulatory approvals, airport readiness and crew familiarisation and training activities before it begins flying on the Melbourne-Canberra route in the first quarter of 2024.
The A220s will gradually replace the airline’s existing fleet of 12 Boeing 717s used by QantasLink.
The A220s have double the range of the Boeing 717s they replace, giving them the ability to fly non-stop between any two points in Australia.
Qantas expects to open up new (direct) domestic and short-haul international routes as more A220s enter the fleet.
Cabin layout
QantasLink will operate the A220s with a total of 137 seats in a two-class layout:
- 10 business
- 127 economy
This is a considerable increase compared with the current 717, which has two configurations:
- 110 seats in a 2 class layout (12 business, 98 economy)
- 125 seats in an all economy layout
The Airbus A220
Specifically designed for the 100-150 seat segment, the A220 provides passengers with wide seats and generous personal space.
Powered by the latest generation Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines, it can fly up to 3,450 nautical miles or 6,390 kilometres non-stop.
Its new-generation engines contribute to the quietest interior in its class while also burning 28% less fuel per seat than the 717.
More on: The Airbus A220
- Ibom Air receives its first brand new A220
- ITA Airways starts flights with Airbus A220
- Iraqi Airways receives its first Airbus A220
- Air France takes delivery of its first Airbus A220
- JetBlue first A220-300 enters service
As with all Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus aims for all its aircraft to be capable of operating with 100% SAF by 2030.
Airbus has received close to 850 orders from 30 customers for the A220, of which over 300 have been delivered worldwide.
