The Australian flag carrier announced on Thursday (24 August) it had bought 12 new Airbus A350 and 12 new Boeing 787 to replace its ageing and more polluting fleet, with orders coming from 2027 into the next decade.
The carrier said the 12 Airbus A350 will be used for Project Sunrise flights – Qantas’s direct flights to London and New York.
As part of the deal, Qantas will have additional purchase right options, as well as access to up to 500 million litres of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) from 2028.
Made out of household and food scraps, the fuel reduces carbon emissions by 80%. Qantas claims this will help it achieve almost all of its interim SAF target by 2030.
“These are generational decisions for this company,” said group chief executive Alan Joyce. “The aircraft will arrive over a decade or more and they’ll be part of the fleet for 20 years. They’ll unlock new routes and better travel experiences for customers, and new jobs and promotions for our people.”
The new order comes as part of Qantas’s decision to renew its fleet with 149 new domestic aircraft, including seven A320 family aircraft.
