The Qantas Group has today announced yet another large aircraft purchase, in addition to the 149 firm aircraft still on order. An additional 24 aircraft have been added to Qantas’ tab, to progressively replace its existing A330s. The multi-billion dollar order is split between twelve Airbus A350s and twelve Boeing 787s arriving from mid 2027 into the next decade.
Within that order, Qantas will receive another four Boeing 787-9 and eight 787-10 aircraft, with deliveries starting from 2027. With Airbus, Qantas has opted to add another twelve Airbus A350-1000s, with deliveries starting in 2028.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce was proud to introduce another investment in his airline.
“Both the 787 and A350, and the GE and Rolls Royce engines fitted to them, are thoroughly proven and extremely capable.”
“These are generational decisions for this company. The aircraft will arrive over a decade or more and they’ll be part of the fleet for 20 years. They’ll unlock new routes and better travel experiences for customers, and new jobs and promotions for our people,” added Mr Joyce.
CEO designate Vanessa Hudson said that Qantas’ negotiations off the back of previous campaigns had helped deliver improved pricing and delivery slots.
“Our ability to afford these aircraft comes from years of restructuring and strengthening our balance sheet, and our confidence about the future.”
Currently, Qantas deploys the A330 on international flights to Asia and the United States as well as some domestic routes. The longer range delivered by incoming B787 and A350 aircraft allows the red roo to deploy their new jets on any currently operated route, as well as opening up travel to new destinations.
Qantas told Flight Hacks they received a “significant discount” on their latest order, but was unable to confirm exactly how significant that was. Historically, Qantas has been able to secure new aircraft for 50 to 60 per cent of the list price.
In addition to its new order, The Group has negotiated added flexibility through additional purchase right options, split evenly between both Boeing and Airbus.
The average age of Qantas’ A330 fleet will be 21 years at the time the replacement program starts in four years time, which is in line with the Group’s typical replacement profile. Aircraft scheduled to depart Qantas towards the later end of their replacement program will undergo a cabin refurbishment from mid-2025, including the addition of refreshed seats in the Economy cabin.
