Last week, Qantas picked up the keys for its shiny, new A321XLR aircraft. Following the handover, VH-OGA Great Ocean Road, as it is known, has made its way to Sydney.
This will be followed by three more A321XLR by the end of the year. There are also a further 24 on order that will arrive over the coming years. These aircraft will be used to replace aging Boeing 737 that Qantas currently use across their network,
Delivery Flight Details
The aircraft made its way from Hamburg to Sydney in two hops. On the first hop, QF6401 took off from Hamburg, and made a 9,600 kilometre flight to Bangkok. This 9,600 kilometre journey was the longest flight of the A321XLR by a commercial airline. Sure, there were no passengers on board, but its still quite a flight.
After a stopover it Bangkok, it continued on to Sydney. This was another 7,600 kilometre flight – not quite as far, but still impressive for a single aisle plane.
Inside the A321XLR
Qantas have previously shared information about the layout of the interior cabin. The initial A321XLRs will replace the current 737 aircraft and so the interior designs are similar. While there are more seats in the larger aircraft, the layout is similar.
A321XLR Business Class
Starting from the top, err, front, the new aircraft feature a new larger Business cabin. This will consist of 5 rows of seats in the familiar 2-2 configuration. That comes to a total of 20 seats, 66% more than the current 737 layout with its 12 seats.
Qantas lists the following features of the seats
- 37” seat pitch | 5” seat recline
- Wireless charging pad
- 6-way adjustable headrest, calf rest and footrest
- Dual USB A & C charging ports
- In arm tray table with a built-in tablet holder
- Extendable cocktail table
- Leather covers
A321XLR Economy Class
Moving back to Economy, we find 177 seats (well, 180 on the first three, but that will change). These are laid out in the same familiar 3-3 configuration found on the 737.
The seats in the Economy cabin have the following specifications:
- 30” seat pitch, same as 737
- 17.6” seat width, wider than the 737
- Extra comfort seat cushioning
- Leather 6-way adjustable headrest
- Dual USB A & C charging ports
- Drop-down tablet holder for personal devices accessing fast, free Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment
- Adjustable meal table
