Qantas Takes Delivery Of First Airbus A220

Qantas has taken delivery of its first new generation A220, becoming the 20th operator of the type. The aircraft is the first of 29 A220s.

Geoffrey Thomas

By Geoffrey Thomas Sat Dec 16, 2023

Qantas has taken delivery of its first new generation A220, becoming the 20th operator of the type. The aircraft is the first of 29 A220s ordered by the Qantas Group for operation by QantasLink, their regional airline that services metropolitan and regional destinations across Australia.

Featuring a unique livery based on Aboriginal artwork, the Airbus A220 will depart the Airbus final assembly line in Mirabel in the coming days for a delivery flight to Sydney, with stops in Vancouver, Honolulu and Nadi.

The A220 will gradually replace the existing 717 fleet at QantasLink. Flying twice as far, the A220 can connect any two points across Australia non-stop, while also bringing a significant 25% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to previous-generation aircraft.

The A220 also has the largest cabin, seats and windows in its class, offering passengers superior comfort. With a total of 137 seats, Qantas’ A220s will be configured in a two-class layout seating 10 passengers in business and 127 in economy.

Specifically designed for the 100-150 seat segment, the A220 is the most modern airliner in its size category. Powered by the latest generation Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines, it can fly up to 3,450 nautical miles or 6,390 kilometres non-stop. Airbus has received close to 850 orders from 30 customers for the A220, of which over 300 have been delivered worldwide.

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