Qantas has announced retirement plans for its largest aircraft, the Airbus A380, and has placed new orders for Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 787-9, and 787-10 aircraft. These new planes will replace the A380s starting around fiscal year 2032.
Alan Joyce, the outgoing Qantas Group CEO, expressed excitement about the investment, stating, “This is another multi-billion dollar investment in the national carrier and it’s great news for our customers and our people.”
New Orders and Replacements
The 12 Airbus A350-1000s ordered by Qantas will be delivered from 2028, and the airline is negotiating additional purchase right options. These options are split evenly between both manufacturers, providing flexibility for future growth. The plan is to replace the 10 A380s with A350s from around 2032 onwards.
In addition to the A350s, Qantas has also ordered 12 Boeing 787s, split between four 787-9 and eight 787-10 models, with deliveries starting from 2027. These new aircraft will replace the airline’s Airbus A330 aircraft, which will be, on average, 21 years old by 2027.
Vanessa Hudson, the group’s CEO-designate, emphasized the strategic nature of these orders, saying that they were negotiated off the back of the narrow-body and Project Sunrise campaigns. She added, “that momentum helped deliver pricing and delivery slots that makes this an excellent opportunity for the Group.”
Hudson also highlighted the flexibility in Qantas’ fleet plan, allowing the airline to adjust deliveries depending on market conditions.
A380s and Profitability
Qantas brought back its Airbus A380s as international markets began to reopen after the pandemic. Currently, seven of its 10 superjumbos are in operation, with the remaining three undergoing maintenance. Previously, Joyce mentioned that Qantas plans to operate the A380s into the 2030s, with all 10 flying customers out of Australia in 2024.
Along with the fleet updates, Qantas also announced its 2023 results, returning to a full-year profit for the first time since the pandemic. The net profit for the period was AUD1.7 billion ($1 billion), marking a significant turnaround.
Joyce commented on the robust travel demand and the airline’s efforts to meet it by taking delivery of more aircraft and opening up new routes.Qantas also noted strong trading into 1H24 and expressed commitment to reaching its 2024 targets, including deploying 95% of pre-COVID capacity by the end of the financial period on June 30, 2024.
Qantas is taking significant steps towards modernizing its fleet by announcing the retirement of its Airbus A380 aircraft and placing new orders for Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 787-9, and 787-9 planes. These new aircraft will begin replacing the A380s around fiscal year 2032, with deliveries starting from 2027 and 2028. The airline’s flexibility in fleet planning, combined with a return to profitability and strong travel demand, positions Qantas well for future growth and continued success in serving its customers.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
