Qantas Airlines has begun training for the introduction of the Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
A total of 28 Airbus A321XLR aircraft have been ordered, with the first unit expected to arrive in April 2025. These aircraft will gradually replace the Boeing 737-800 models. Due to their ability to fly approximately 3,000 kilometers further than the Boeing 737-800s, these planes are planned for deployment on domestic routes within Australia, as well as routes to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.
The seating arrangement consists of 20 Business Class seats in a ‘2-2’ configuration and 177 Economy Class seats in a ‘3-3’ arrangement, resulting in a total of 197 seats. The first three aircraft will have a slightly different configuration, with 180 seats in Economy Class.
Pilots began their training at the beginning of this year with the CAE 7000XR Series A320 simulator, which was transported from Montreal, Canada, to the Sydney Flight Training Center over a period of 34 days. Over the next three years, more than 240 pilots are expected to undergo training. Pilots will complete up to 60 hours of training on the simulator, followed by quarterly refresher training sessions.
