QantasLink’s Boeing 717-200s will depart the fleet over the next two years as their successor A220-300s – seen here in a rendering – arrive.
QantasLink is starting to retire its fleet of Boeing 717-200s, as it prepares to accept replacement Airbus A220-300s.
Three of the 20 Boeing twinjets have now left the fleet and will be gradually replaced by 29 A220s as part of the company’s fleet renewal program. The first A220 is scheduled to arrive at the end of this year.
“The A220…can operate double the range of the 717s, opening up new domestic and short-haul international routes,” Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said. At 6,300km the crossover jet’s range is almost double that of its predecessor and gives the European jet the capability of flying between any city pair in Australia.
When flying from Perth, the A220 will also have the capability to cover much of Southeast Asia, as far north as Manila and Bangkok.
The 717 had insufficient range to operate, for example, between Sydney or Brisbane, on the east coast of the country, to Perth, on the west coast.
In Qantas service the A220 will be configured to seat 137 people (10 business, 127 economy), a 25% increase over the 717’s capacity of 110, with no reduction in space between seats.
Additionally, the A220-300’s fuel burn is 28% lower per seat than that of the U.S. aircraft. Noise levels are “up to 50% lower” than the 717.
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