- Qantas plans to retire aging Airbus A330s alongside Boeing 787s
- Initial order includes both 787-9 and 787-10 models
- Domestic Dreamliner could include premium economy
Old things go out, new things come in, or at least newQantas is moving to replace its flagship Airbus A330 with a new Boeing 787 from 2027.
But it wasn’t a one-for-one swap, with 28 A330s initially being replaced by just 12 Dreamliners. The order will be split between Boeing 787-9s, which Qantas already has 14 in its hangar, and eight of those Dreamliners. An “enhanced” version of the 787-10. It can carry more passengers, but its range is slightly reduced.
Like the Airbus A330, these 787s will serve major domestic routes such as Sydney-Perth and Melbourne-Perth, as well as short to medium haul routes to New Zealand and Asia.
However, Perth can also be used as a launch pad to tackle long-haul trips to North America and direct flights to European destinations.
Qantas Chief Financial Officer and Incoming CEO Vanessa Hudson Speaks executive traveler The first A330 to 787 replacements “will begin with the replacement of the (first) A330s in 2027,” but will be done in batches rather than in one massive equivalent replacement programme.
“So when we actually consider replacing everything, we place orders in small increments,” Hudson explains.
“We have the right to buy, the option to buy, and intend to replace its entire (A330) fleet by the end of the next decade.”
As a replacement for the A330, the 787 will also be complemented by the upcoming A321XLR, which will nominally replace the Boeing 737 on domestic and short-hop international routes.
Hudson said the 787’s flexibility fits in with what Qantas calls a “right aircraft, right route” approach, which future Airbus A220s and A321XLRs will replace. He said the aircraft could also take advantage of the significantly longer range than the Boeing 717 and 737.
The 787 “has the range and ability to be deployed or deployed across a variety of routes and networks, allowing these aircraft to travel internationally as well as domestically,” Hudson said. executive traveler.
“These aircraft are going to get real growth as well because they have great range and they are fuel efficient. It will be possible to open
Qantas announced a replacement program for both the A330 and A380, which will replace the A350-1000, as the centerpiece of its 2023 earnings presentation, which reported a record pre-tax profit of $2.47 billion.
Qantas completes order for 14 Boeing 787-9s allocated for long and ultra-long haul flights, with no more 787s on book cites Paris, Chicago and Seattle as routes. .
The Airbus A330 marked the launch of the Business Suite at the end of 2014. This modern business class seat has since been installed on Boeing 787s and Airbus A380s, and domestic jets are also equipped with his fast and free WiFi.
Qantas 787-10
The 787-10 is the largest member of Boeing’s Dreamliner family, with Qantas operating the midsize 787-9 and Jetstar the debut 787-8.
The 787-10 is about 5.5 meters longer than the -9 measured tip to tail, allowing it to carry more passengers and cargo, but with slightly less range. Boeing estimates that the 787-9 has a range of 14,140km, while the -10 has a range of just under 12,000km.
These metrics will help the 787-10 compete as a midsize A330 competitor. The A330 has long been Qantas’ mainstay for transcontinental travel, along with most routes to Asia.
(Qantas’ current longest route to Asia, Melbourne to New Delhi, fits comfortably within the 787-10 range.)
executive traveler understands that the new 787, including the 787-10, will share the same configuration as its current fleet, including the premium economy cabin, making it easy to transfer the ‘domestic’ Dreamliner to international flights.
Although there is no established market for premium economy on Australia’s longest east-west route, it is a must in long-haul combinations and arguably has the potential to be a strong attraction for flights between Australia and Asia, especially overnight return flights. There is