Airbus wins Qantas narrowbody tender

Qantas has announced that Airbus has won the airline's tender for new narrowbody aircraft. According to the statement, the airline is set to place a firm order for twenty A321XLRs and twenty A220-300s. The deal will also include purchase options for 94 A220- and A320neo-family aircraft for a ten year-plus delivery window and fhe flexibility to swap between all types within the aircraft-families. When all options are also firmed-up, this order is the largest order placed by an Australian airline ever. Deliveries are to start in 2023.

The selection of Airbus comes after a competitive tender process that also included Boeing and Embraer. The Qantas Group already holds orders for 45 A320neos and 64 A321neos (including 36 A321XLRs), which were originally destined for subsidiairy Jetstar Airways but will now be placed, together with the new orders for 40 planes, where it's needed in the Group.

The A320neo-family will be used to replace the 75 B737-800s in the fleet, while the twenty A220-300s will be used to replace the twenty B717-200s in use with subsidiary QantasLink.

Illustration by Airbus.