It’s an exciting day for Qantas, as the airline has just taken delivery of its very first Airbus A321XLR, making the oneworld airline the launch customer for the jet in the Asia-Pacific region. The airline isn’t necessarily using this jet in the way that you’d expect, though.
This is part of Qantas’ overall fleet renewal strategy, as the airline is also taking delivery of Airbus A220-300s, and will soon take delivery of Airbus A350-1000s.
Qantas has 28 Airbus A321XLRs on order
In 2019, Qantas Group placed an order for the Airbus A321XLR, which is the longest range and largest version of the Airbus A320 family. This aircraft is the same size as all other A321s, but with additional range, as this is an evolution of the A321ceo (and A321neo, and A321LR).
These A321XLRs have been ordered for both Qantas and Jetstar, and the allocation between the two subsidiaries has changed over time. Initially the plan was for at least 20 of those planes to go to Qantas, but that number has now been upped to 28 aircraft.
The first of these A321XLRs has the registration code VH-OGA, and is currently enroute from Hamburg (XFW) to Bangkok (BKK) to Sydney (SYD). That first segment is 5,503 miles, marking the longest A321XLR flight ever operated by a commercial airline (even if it’s without passengers). The total journey will take 42 hours, with 21 hours of that being flying time (so clearly the delivery team is spending the night in Bangkok).
Here’s how Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson described this order some time back, prior to delivery:
“Qantas will be one of the first airlines in the world to operate the A321XLR and ahead of the arrival of our first aircraft next year, we’ve started pilot training and finalised the details of the customer experience.”
“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.”
“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 Airbus A321XLR cabin & seat details
The Airbus A321XLR has amazing range, and a vast majority of airlines taking delivery of the aircraft plan to use it for long haul flights, and are configuring it with flat beds… but not Qantas. Qantas A321XLRs feature 197 seats, including 20 business class seats and 177 economy class seats.
Business class consists of five rows of seats in a 2-2 configuration, and the experience is comparable to what Qantas currently offers on domestic flights. Seats boast 37″ of pitch, 5″ of recline, six-way adjustable head rests, calf rests, foot rests, personal device holders, USB-A and USB-C charging, and wireless charging pads.
Economy class consists of 30 rows of seats in a 3-3 configuration, once again similar to what you’ll find on Qantas’ other narrow body jets. Seats boast 30″ of pitch, 17.6″ of width, six-way adjustable head rests, personal device holders, and USB-A and USB-C charging.
Throughout the plane there’s no seat back entertainment, and instead there’s streaming entertainment. Qantas also plans to offer fast and free Wi-Fi on its A321XLRs, which is something the airline is working toward on a larger scale.
So this configuration is much more similar to American’s A321neo layout than it is to JeBlue’s A321LR layout, for example.
Qantas Airbus A321XLRs replace Boeing 737-800s
Qantas’ primary motive with ordering Airbus A321XLRs is to use them to replace Boeing 737-800s, which are primarily used for domestic and short haul international flights. Admittedly these planes will only partially replace 737s, given that Qantas has 75 of those, while there are only 28 A321XLRs on order.
I’d largely consider that to be good news, in the sense that I think the A320 is more comfortable than the 737. Furthermore, Qantas 737s have 12 business class seats, so the significant increase to 20 business class seats will be good for upgrades and business class pricing.
On the surface, Qantas’ decision to order the A321XLR is a bit confusing. It makes perfect sense that Qantas is ordering from the A321neo family, since it offers the capacity the airline needs. But the airline is going for the extra long range version of the plane, which is capable of operating flights deep into Asia that the 737 couldn’t.
Here’s what adds to the confusion:
- The A321XLR is more expensive to acquire and operate than other versions of the plane, so typically airlines only order these planes if they specifically have the intention of using them for long haul routes
- Qantas states that these planes will primarily be used between major Australian cities (including between Sydney and Melbourne, etc.), and also states that the additional range of the plane “opens up a wider range of direct domestic and short haul international routes (e.g. South East Asia, Pacific islands)”
- It seems like anything beyond the range of the A321neo would really be pushing the type of route on which a full service carrier could justify operating a jet like this
- Qantas is reportedly considering installing flat beds on some of the later A321XLR deliveries, but no final decision has been made; even then, you’d think the airline would’ve split the order between the A321neo and A321XLR
Qantas is generally a conservative airline with its growth, and it’s not just ordering longer range planes for vanity. So what’s the explanation? It’s my understanding that this comes down to cargo capacity. On a transcontinental flight from Sydney to Perth, for example, the A321XLR can carry significantly more cargo than the A321neo, and that’s something that Qantas values.
The A321XLR offers more range thanks to having extra fuel tanks, and also thanks to having a higher maximum takeoff weight. Instead of using that extra maximum takeoff weight for extra fuel, it can also be used for extra cargo weight.
Some might wonder “well why not go for the A321LR then?” That’s the plane that’s between the A321neo and A321XLR in terms of range. This is an area where cargo volume becomes an issue, rather than weight. The A321LR has additional center fuel tanks (where cargo could otherwise go), while the A321XLR has extra rear center tanks. So the A321XLR offers more space for cargo than the A321LR.
Now, I can’t speak to whether that ends up being the right decision or not. As I said, the A321XLR costs more to buy, and also costs more to operate (due to the weight of the extra fuel tanks). It’s hard to know whether the benefit of the incremental cargo capacity on some longer stretches makes up for the increased operating costs on shorter flights.
Bottom line
Qantas plans to add 28 Airbus A321XLRs to its fleet, with the first plane having just been delivered to the airline. While the A321XLR is a jet with incredible range, Qantas intends to use this aircraft primarily for short haul flights, and the plane will be configured accordingly. Qantas will have 197 seats on its A321XLRs, including 20 business class seats and 177 economy seats.
Qantas is the first A321XLR customer that doesn’t seem to be ordering the plane specifically in order to fly long distances, but instead, for the increased cargo capacity.
What do you make of Qantas’ Airbus A321XLR plans?
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