The Airbus A220 aircraft will gradually replace the Boeing 717 aircraft in Qantas' current fleet.
Qantaslink, a Qantas Group subsidiary, launched the first two Airbus A220-300 aircraft into commercial service on 1 March.
The aircraft is tasked with replacing the Boeing 717 currently used by the airline on domestic routes. Qantas has ordered 29 A220 jets with 137 seats.
The first A220 flight will run between Melbourne and Canberra, followed by the Melbourne-Brisbane route.
The A220 aircraft has almost twice the range of the 717 and consumes less fuel. The A220 is even more comfortable, offering a greater sense of space and comfort for every passenger, free Wi-Fi. After all, the 717 was a decades-old product, and the A220 aircraft is currently the most advanced product in the narrow-body aircraft segment, and the two aircraft are not comparable.
Qantas CEO Rachel Yangoyan said of the new A220 aircraft: "These next-generation aircraft will make a real difference for our customers, so it's great to see it start commercial flights today. ”
The third A220, delivered to Qantas, is currently being produced at the Airbus plant in Mirabel, Canada, and is expected to be delivered in June this year. Four more A220s are scheduled to be delivered by mid-2025.
"As more aircraft are delivered, the A220 will be deployed on other existing routes, including Melbourne-Hobart from July, Melbourne-Coffs Harbour from October and Melbourne-Launceston from November," the airline explained. ”
With Boeing lacking new aircraft in the 100-130 seat segment, more 717 aircraft will be replaced by Airbus A220 and Embraer E195-E2 aircraft in the future.