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Qantas XLR-ates its fleet renewal
07/02/2025
Qantas XLR-ates its fleet renewal
After a long wait and a marathon ferry flight from Hamburg, Qantas’ first A321XLR, VH-OGA, has finally touched down in Australia, a significant step in the Flying Kangaroo’s “Project Winton” fleet renewal. It’s the beginning of the end for Qantas’ ageing 737-800 fleet, even as the airline looks to acquire a few more “mid-life” 737s to tide it over as it waits – and with a range of 8,700km, compared to around 5,000km on the 737-800, might the A321XLR fleet fly internationally as well as domestically? Adam and Jake discuss the latest on Qantas’ fleet changes, including plans to replace QantasLink’s Fokker 100s with Embraer E190s, and what the A321XLR might do for the national carrier beyond Australia’s shores. Plus, a “rain bomb” blows a massive hole in Sydney Airport’s schedule – is the new two-hour recovery period enough to mitigate the disruptive effects of wild weather?
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