Flight QF6041 will fly from Hamburg to Bangkok, making history as the longest A321XLR flight operated by a commercial airline at more than 9,600 kilometres.
The aircraft will then continue on from Bangkok to Sydney, a journey of more than 7,600 kilometres, and will touch down at Sydney Airport on July 2 shortly after 10am.
The total journey from Hamburg to Sydney will take 42 hours door to door with 21 hours of flying time.
This delivery follows the successful completion of the aircraft’s customer acceptance flight last week and represents a pivotal step in the company’s fleet renewal program.
The A321XLR’s 8,700 kilometre (4,700 nautical mile) range – the longest of any narrowbody aircraft – will open up new opportunities for the national carrier.
The aircraft is the first of 28 A321XLRs Qantas has on order. It offers the widest cabin of any narrowbody aircraft globally, with space for 60 per cent more bags, wider economy class seats, more economy and business class seats, and larger windows than the Boeing 737. The spacious interior also offers ambient LED lighting and higher ceilings.
The new aircraft type also marks another step toward more sustainable air travel, incorporating advanced lightweight materials and design technologies that can enable reduced fuel burn and lower emissions per seat on like-for-like sectors, when compared to previous generation aircraft.
“We are proud to be the first A321XLR operator in Asia Pacific and its arrival will mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Qantas and a significant step forward in enhancing the experience we offer our customers,” said Markus Svensson, Qantas Domestic CEO.
