Qantas' New A321XLR

[kerfuffle]

I think you'll find all future A321neo flights are showing the seat map without 35A/B/C and the extra toilet until a few days before departure. If OGA-OGC is assigned to the flight, 35A/B/C appears on the seat map.

Can confirm my flight now shows 35A-C on the map.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I can confirm the arrival of ODG has not resolved the loo issues (yet).

How does this happen on an airframe that’s been is service three days?



On a SYD-BNE sector the queue for the single working Y loo was seven people.

 

[Quickstatus]

BNE-MNL from 25Oct 2026 using the existing non lie flat J seat XLR daily flights replacing the A330 with lie flats beds 5x/week

 

[Saab34]

BNE-MNL from 25Oct 2026 using the existing non lie flat J seat XLR daily flights replacing the A330 with lie flats beds 5x/week

That’s a pretty uncompetitive product against the PR A321 but I guess they are desperate.

 

[jase05]

That’s a pretty uncompetitive product against the PR A321 but I guess they are desperate.

And I wonder how long before CGK and DPS suffer the same fate

 

[Saab34]

And I wonder how long before CGK and DPS suffer the same fate

I think it’s only a matter of time before they need to pull the A330 off SYD-DPS to sort out some of the fleet issues. A321 it is.

 

[jase05]

I think it’s only a matter of time before they need to pull the A330 off SYD-DPS to sort out some of the fleet issues. A321 it is.

I’m surprised that SYD-DPS has remained an A330 for this long.
I’ll be devastated if CGK loses them though

 

[serfty]

...
Unfortunately with a single WC, four people waiting… took forever Considering it’s about 20 mins available fright time to move about the cabin.

That would be somewhat frightening - but at least only 20 minutes ...

 

[Quickstatus]

That’s a pretty uncompetitive product against the PR A321 but I guess they are desperate.

Uncompetitive for Y and J.
QF has not even settled on the lie flat J product yet for the XLR AFAIK.

 

[RooFlyer]

BNE-MNL from 25Oct 2026 using the existing non lie flat J seat XLR daily flights replacing the A330 with lie flats beds 5x/week

Anyone surprised at recliner XLRs going on medium-haul?

 

[Saab34]

Anyone surprised at recliner XLRs going on medium-haul?

Not after seeing all these A330 engineering challenges. I’d expect SYD-DPS and transcon flying to move away from the 330 while they try and free up some spare hours.

I have suspicions that Joyce didn’t want XLRs with IFE or flat beds, ie the current model is what he planned for international. It’s a cheap and sub par international product but he only seemed interested in the bottom line, not product or the customer experience.