The Qantas Group has reported a $1.25-billion underlying profit before tax at it’s HY24 results presentation today. At her first financial results presentation delivered as Chief Executive Officer, Vanessa Hudson indicated Qantas’ customer satisfaction has improved significantly, and that the airline is seeing fewer delayed and cancelled flights.
“Having the financial strength to keep investing is key, and that makes the strong performance that all business units had in the first half so important,” said Ms Hudson.
“We understand the need for affordable air travel and fares have fallen more than 10 per cent since peaking in late 2022. At the same time, we’ve seen a cost benefit from fewer cancellations and delays, and scale benefits as more international flying returns.”
Here’s how the underlying earnings stack up across The Qantas Group’s brands;
- $641 million – Qantas Domestic
- $322 million – Qantas International
- $270 million – Qantas Loyalty
- $325 million – Jetstar Group
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Qantas To Operate A220’s From March 1st
Qantas has now confirmed that their current fleet of two Airbus A220’s will enter commercial service between Melbourne and Canberra as well as Brisbane from March 1st 2024.
Specifically, the first commercial service will go wheels up in Melbourne as QF1266 at 10am, arriving in Canberra at 11:05am. If Qantas’ departure times are to be trusted, the Canadian-built Airbus will then depart Canberra at 1:55pm for a 3:05pm touchdown in Melbourne.
The Qantas website is now showing A220 flights available for booking, connecting Melbourne and;
- Canberra from 1st March 2024
- Brisbane from 1st March 2024
- Hobart from 1st July 2024
- Coffs Harbour from October 2024 (not yet on sale)
- Launceston from November 2024 (not yet on sale)
Following Flight Hacks’ report on the initial flight schedule for QantasLink A220’s last week, with thanks to Qantas Operations and at the annoyance of Qantas Marketing, the national carrier has pulled those B717 flights from sale. If you’ve already booked one of those cancelled flights, expect to be notified of the change via the regular avenues.
QantasLink’s A220 has space for 137 passengers, with 10 of those lucky ducks seated in Business Class.
The staggered premium cabin holds two passengers on either side of the aisle, with two rows on the port side, and three on the starboard. Behind the plastic divider, there are 127 Economy Class seats in a dreamy 2-3 configuration, making for just twenty-five middle seats onboard the entire plane. Thanks to that extra row being crammed in, the first six rows of A/C seats offer slightly more legroom.
QantasLink A220 Business Class
Qantas has installed the Recaro CL4710 at the pointy end, a popular recliner found on narrowbodies across the world, including those operated by Delta, Alaskan Airlines and Aeroflot. It’s a remarkably similar setup to Qantas’ 737 Business Class, with slightly darker leather and a few minor improvements.
Here’s the headline QantasLink A220 Business Class seat features;
- 37” seat pitch with a 5” recline
- 6-way adjustable headrest
- Built-in adjustable calf rest
- Footrest that folds out from the seat in front (not in for 1)
- Wireless charging pad built into the armrest
- USB-A and USB-C charging ports at each seat
- Built-in storage including a bottle holder
- In arm tray table with a built-in tablet holder
QantasLink A220 Economy Class
Down the back, Qantas has fitted with an upgraded and customised version of Recaro’s BL3710 product, the same seat found on budget airline Jetstar. These are no doubt the same seats that will feature on upcoming Qantas A321 aircraft.
Onboard QantasLink’s A220 Economy Class? Here’s the seat features;
- 30” seat pitch and 18” seat width
- Extra seat cushioning for greater comfort
- 6-way adjustable headrest
- USB-A and USB-C charging ports at each seat
- Drop-down tablet holder
Qantas International WiFi Installed From Late 2024
Qantas has announced that it will accelerate the rollout of fast and free inflight WiFi onboard its international flights. The airline claims their access offering, provided by Viasat’s next generation satellite technology, will offer significant bandwidth to allow everyone onboard a flight to connect at high speed.
Towards the end of the year, Qantas will begin retrofitting its A330-200 with WiFi, followed by the remaining widebody international fleet from 2025. From 2026, Qantas will receive its modern B787 and A350 aircraft already WiFi enabled, a decision that should’ve been made years ago.
