Qantas Group has taken delivery of their first Airbus A220, becoming the 20th operator of the type worldwide. The new A220 will be operated by QantasLink, serving metropolitan and regional destinations across Australia.
On Friday (December 15, 2023), Airbus announced that Qantas Group has taken delivery of the first of 20 Airbus A220s on order for operation by QantasLink. The aircraft features a unique livery based on Aboriginal artwork and will depart Airbus’ final assembly line (FAL) in Mirabel, Canada in the coming days. For the delivery ferry flight to Sydney, the A220 will make interim stops in Vancouver, Honolulu and Nadi. The new A220s will gradually replace QantasLink’s aging Boeing 717 fleet. Offering double the range of the B717, the A220 can directly connect any two points in Australia, while delivering a 25 percent reduction in fuel use and emissions.
The Airbus A220 offers the largest cabin, seats and windows in its class. QantasLink’s new aircraft is configured in two classes with 10 Business Class and 127 Economy Class seats. Specifically designed for the 100-150 seat market segment, the A220 is the world’s most modern aircraft in its size category. The A220 is powered by the latest generation Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines and offers a range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km). Like all Airbus aircraft, the A220 can currently operate with up to 50 percent SAF, and Airbus plans for all of their aircraft to be capable of operation on 100 percent SAF by 2023. To date, Airbus has received orders for nearly 850 A220 Family aircraft from 30 customers worldwide, of which 300 have already been delivered.
Source: Airbus