Qantas dumps ageing regional workhorse for sexier model

Qantas dumps ageing regional workhorse for sexier model

Australia’s nationwide airline is getting ready to floor its regional hyperlink aircraft for a cleaner, youthful and quieter plane.

Qantas will give the Boeing 717 the boot subsequent month, changing it with a brand new fleet of planes with decrease emissions, longer vary and fewer noise.

CEO Alan Joyce says it is the “end of an era” for the 717s however the brand new A220s can function double the vary, opening up new routes for patrons.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for our employees as well as our customers as these new aircraft create more opportunities and unlock new destinations,” he stated in a press release on Monday.

“The new aircraft we’re receiving are much more capable than the aircraft they’re replacing.

“They can fly additional whereas being a lot quieter and extra environment friendly and offering an ideal expertise for our passengers.”

Qantas has received four new planes this year and is poised to get another eight by Christmas, including its first A220.

The A220 has 25 per cent more seating, burns 28 per cent less fuel per seat and can fly double the distance of its predecessor.

The first Boeing 717 registered in Australia will complete a ceremonial final flight next month after flying around the country for 15 years.

The plane was the first to lift off with the airline’s budget subsidiary, Jetstar, flying from Melbourne to Launceston in May 2004.

The aircraft has also flown on regional and domestic routes for QantasLink for the past 15 years, completing more than 29,000 flights and carrying more than 1.6 million customers over twenty years.

Almost 300 slim physique planes are set to hitch the Qantas fleet within the subsequent decade.

Source: www.perthnow.com.au