Qantas' New A321XLR

[Groundfeeder]

I've never seen anyone look so happy in the middle, non reclining seat in the last row of an aircraft! With what look like a toilet immediately behind them.

Had to do it once with another company paying me to go on Dom OneStar. Thought I'd have a slight benefit on offloading at rear stairs but they squashed that grape saying front door only.

 

[Daver6]

I speak from (bitter) experience

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What middle seat?

Do you have to declare that pre-existing trauma on your future travel insurance policies now?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've never seen anyone look so happy in the middle, non reclining seat in the last row of an aircraft! With what look like a toilet immediately behind them.

Are the seats confirmed as non-recline? They look like they have the space behind them… or are all Y seats non-recline?

 

[RooFlyer]

Are the seats confirmed as non-recline? They look like they have the space behind them… or are all Y seats non-recline?

No idea. All the last row seats I've been in have been non recline - maybe it is that space, but it looks ....modest.

 

[markis10]

all Y seats non-recline?

They recline, same Recaro model as in the A220

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Looking at the potential destination maps for the A321XLR, it's capable of going to HKG from MEL - if QF replaces the A330s in the future with the A321XLR on this route, I'm 100% choosing CX.

Tbh I would not want to be on a narrowbody for anything more than >5-6hrs.

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Also, Phnom Penh is spelt wrong too.

On the flip side, there might be a few destinations that QF could fly to that right now are limited to JQ due to current aircraft restrictions, e.g., Cook Islands, where the 737 is probably iffy but not enough demand for a wide-body. (I use this example wistfully as I already am dreading that SYD-RAR flight next year.) I'd also love to see someone fly to PPT but TN didn't make money on that (though it was a wide-body...), so that's probably more wishful thinking.

QF A321 > JQ A321.

 

[Saab34]

Is Hawaii with the XLR an option here? Or do the economics of a widebody start to play out for these longer missions?

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Is Hawaii with the XLR an option here? Or do the economics of a widebody start to play out for these longer missions?

SYD would really be cutting it close on range, though BNE might be a reasonable option.

HA and QF seem to do fine both filling wide-bodies from SYD, and while HA never returned to BNE after Covid, the 321 is in better range and might work there. I suspect pax will also be more forgiving of a wide-body for longer flights if there's no competition and the alternative is likely no nonstop flight at all.

 

[elanshin]

Is Hawaii with the XLR an option here? Or do the economics of a widebody start to play out for these longer missions?

I doubt it. It would be in the upper range (not quite full limit) of the XLR from BNE and with the way US/Hawaii is shaping up to be an expensive resort destination now, you'd want to be flying in more comfort.

Fiji would be a more realistic choice imho if we were to consider these destinations.

 

[markis10]

I doubt it. It would be in the upper range (not quite full limit) of the XLR from BNE and with the way US/Hawaii is shaping up to be an expensive resort destination now, you'd want to be flying in more comfort.

Fiji would be a more realistic choice imho if we were to consider these destinations.

The XLR has a range of circa 4500nm which means it’s very capable of going to Hawaii with at least 10% spare, after all Qantas show BNE-TYO on their charts for it which is 300km shorter. Airbus have not published a range/payload chart that I can see, so what payload would be possible is a big question, and of course the headwinds coming back may be an issue

 

[SYD]

Is Hawaii with the XLR an option here? Or do the economics of a widebody start to play out for these longer missions?

HNL flights are still chockers. Can’t see narrow bodies ANY time soon!

Those 16 flatbed (and whatever other W/Y config) will most likely open up new “thin” routes.