The first of Qantas’ 28 Airbus A321XLR aircraft on order is due to be delivered in April 2025, to replace its older, less fuel-efficient Boeing 737 fleet. While Qantas pilots are undergoing training in readiness for the arrival, the passenger experience teams are finalising the cabin schemes.
The A321XLR’s long range will allow Qantas to open up new non-stop domestic and short-haul international routes that are not viable with the airline’s existing B737s. The A321XLRs are able to fly approximately 3,000km further than the B737 (at 8,700km), which opens up direct routes to regions such as South East Asia and the Pacific islands.
The flights will often be longer in duration than the outgoing B737 routes, and indeed the aircraft is five metres longer. So what will lie within the extra fuselage length? Qantas has configured its A321XLRs with 197 seats (20 in business class – a 66% increase in seat capacity over the B737), and 177 in economy class (a 13% increase), with no reduction in seat pitch. However, for reasons as-yet unknown, the first three Qantas A321XLRs will arrive configured with 180 economy seats.
The 20 leather-covered seats in the business-class cabin will be in a 2-2 configuration, with a 37in seat pitch, a 5in seat recline, an in-arm tray table with tablet holder, an extendable cocktail table, a six-way adjustable headrest, a calf rest and footrest, a wireless charging pad, and dual USB A & C charging ports.
Passengers in the 177 economy seats (a 3-3 configuration) will have the same 30in seat pitch as in the B737s and will enjoy a little extra seat width (17.6in vs the B737’s 17.2in), together with extra comfort seat cushioning, a six-way adjustable headrest trimmed in leather (it is four-way on the B737s), dual USB A & C charging ports, an adjustable meal table, and a drop-down device holder.
All customers will enjoy the overall cabin upgrades over the outgoing B737s, including lower cabin noise levels, higher ceilings, a wider cabin, larger windows, and large overhead lockers that can accommodate around 60% more bags than the B737 bins.
All passengers will also be able to access fast, free wi-fi in the cabin, as well as the improved Qantas Entertainment App for streaming IFE content to their own devices. Note there is no seatback IFE, which may disappoint some business-class travellers.
Qantas has collaborated with Australian Designer David Caon to specify the passenger comfort features and the new colour, material and finish schemes.
Qantas employees are helping name the new fleet of aircraft under the theme of Walks, Rivers and Roads, as a nod to the travel opportunities across Australia and its vast landscape. The first aircraft to arrive will be named ‘Great Ocean Road’.
“Nearly half of all the customers Qantas carries each year travel on our 737 fleet, so the A321XLR aircraft that we’ve ordered to replace them will be incredibly important for our future,” said Qantas Group CEO, Vanessa Hudson. “The A321XLR is a fantastic aircraft to be part of our next-generation fleet, and its range and versatility will give us to opportunity to explore more non-stop routes and operate them cost effectively.”
Qantas is also busy preparing its pilots for the arrival of the A321XLRs. Ahead of the arrival of the first A321XLR, Qantas pilots have started training on a new CAE 7000XR Series A320 simulator with dual head-up display that was shipped from Montreal, Canada, to Australia earlier in the year over a 34-day journey. The A320 simulator is based in the airline’s Sydney Flight Training Centre, with more flight simulators and training equipment to be added by the end of the year.
Pilots will spend up to 60 hours in the new simulator as part of their broader training programme, and then return each year for four recurrency training sessions More than 240 Qantas pilots are expected to be trained on the A321XLR aircraft over the next three years, opening up new career pathways and promotion opportunities. In addition, around 2,000 cabin crew will also be progressively trained on the new aircraft type as the planes enter the fleet.
