The First QantasLink Airbus A220 Lands At Hobart Airport

The Qantas Group is adding new aircraft at a rapid pace across its airlines, particularly at regional carrier QantasLink, which is replacing its fleet of aging Boeing 717s with new Airbus A220s, the first of which entered service on March 1 this year. Today, Qantas announced its inaugural A220-operated flight on the Melbourne to Hobart route, bringing a new level of comfort and experience to the Apple Isle.

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Qantas New Airbus A220 Finding Its Wings Across Australia

The first Qantas A220 is undergoing a series of evaluation and training flights on Australia’s East Coast as it prepares to enter service in 1Q 2024.

A bright start for the A220

New York is the Big Apple, and Tasmania is the Apple Isle in Australia. Today, the beautifully liveried QantasLink Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa A220 departed Melbourne Airport at 10:15 and, after a 1:04-hour flight, arrived in Tasmania at 11:19. The 2023 A220, registered VH-X4A and MSN 55253, is scheduled to depart Hobart at 12:50 and arrive in Melbourne at 14:15.

Photo: Qantas

Since its entry into service in March, this A220 has been almost exclusively flying between Melbourne Airport and Canberra, another one-hour flight typical of many short-haul routes operated by QantasLink, the regional airline of the Qantas Group. The airline currently has two A220s, with a third to join in the coming weeks out of a total order with Airbus for 29.

Photo: Qantas

QantasLink will have seven in service by the middle of 2025, deployed on existing routes such as Melbourne-Hobart, Melbourne-Coffs Harbour and Melbourne-Launceston, the latter starting on November 12, 2024.

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Flight Review: Flying Both Inaugural Qantas Airbus A220 Services

Today, the two Qantas Airbus A220s made their commercial debut, and it was a roaring success with the passengers, crew, and the airline.

These are game changing aircraft

Having experienced both of the QantasLink A220s, I can attest they have a spacious and light-filled cabin, with larger windows and overhead lockers adding to the roomy feel. The seats have in-seat USB-A and USB-C outlets with a laptop plug located at the base of the seat, and the mood lighting and high-quality fitout are things never before seen in an Australian aircraft of this size. The big winner is the very fast and free WiFi which, on my flights, delivered speeds comparable to a home WiFi connection.

Photo: Qantas

Qantas and Jetstar have signed a long-term commercial agreement with Hobart Airport, which includes a new and enlarged Qantas Club Lounge due to open in 2027. Qantas Group Executive Andrew Parker said the new aircraft and lounge would significantly improve the travel experience of tens of thousands of tourists and locals each year.

“Tasmania is the home of eco-tourism, and there’s no better place to operate our A220 aircraft, which generate 25% fewer emissions per seat and 50% less noise than the aircraft that they replace. Their size and economics make them a great fit for many of our Tasmanian routes, and this is just the start.”

The A220s will progressively replace the long-serving Boeing 717s and operate up to 26 flights per week between Melbourne and Hobart. The single-aisle aircraft has 137 seats in a two-class layout, including 10 business seats in a 2-2 layout and 127 economy seats in a 2-3 configuration.

Photo: Michael Doran I Simple Flying

The A220-300s have almost double the range of the Boeing 717s they are replacing with the capability to fly nonstop over more than 3,700 miles, meaning they can fly nonstop between any two destinations in Australia. Qantas plans to operate the fleet on existing domestic and regional routes and on short-haul international routes as more new aircraft arrive.

Have you flown on the QantasLink A220? Let us know in the comments.