Qantas has taken delivery of a new Airbus A330 aircraft, which it will use to boost its domestic network.
The new wide-body jet arrived in Sydney this morning (Sunday 25 November 2012) following a flight from the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse. Following its arrival, Qantas will now deploy its twin-aisle A330s on all weekday Sydney-Perth and Melbourne-Perth services.
Lyell Strambi, CEO of Qantas Domestic, who unveiled the new aircraft to more than 1,000 Qantas employees at an event in Sydney, said the A330 aircraft was a key part of the airline’s domestic strategy.
“Qantas’ A330 aircraft offer superior space and comfort and have individual in-flight entertainment for all of our passengers, making them ideal for longer flights,” Strambi said. “From May next year, Qantas will deploy A330s on all weekday Sydney-Perth and Melbourne-Perth services which will enable us to better service the growing business market.
“One of Qantas’ key strengths in the domestic market is our wide-body aircraft, which are very popular with our customers,” he added.
Qantas now has 30 wide-body aircraft – 14 A330s and 16 Boeing 767s – operating on domestic routes. The new A330 is configured with 304 seats – 36 in business class and 268 in economy – all featuring on-demand in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems and power outlets.
Qantas is also in the process of revamping its 16 B767s with new interiors, including iPad-based IFE.
