Airbus the big winner in new Qantas deal.
Qantas has announced it will order 12 Airbus A350s as part of its plan to revive its delayed Project Sunrise which will allow the carrier to fly nonstop to destinations such as London and New York City.
These new jets will allow Qantas to launch the long-range flights from late 2025.
Meanwhile the airline has also announced a major renewal of its domestic fleet, ordering 40 A321XLRs and A220 aircraft, a move that will see its Boeing 737 and 717 jets gradually retired.
Benefits of the fleet purchases will include lower emissions, longer ranges, less noise and less money to operate, Qantas noted this morning.
The news coincides with fresh predictions from the carrier that domestic sales will return to pre-COVID levels ahead of expectations.
MEANWHILE in other aviation news this morning, Regional Express and Delta Air Lines have announced plans for a reciprocal interline and baggage handling partnership which will feed Rex customers onto DL’s non-stop flights between Sydney and Los Angeles and then onwards to almost 50 US cities.
More details on both of these aviation stories in today’s issue of Travel Daily.