First Qantas A321XLR Passenger Flights in September

The first Qantas A321XLR is not due to begin commercial flights until September. The aircraft, VH-OGA (msn 12427) ferried into Australia earlier this month and is operating a series of CASA certification, training, familiarisation, and PR flights before taking onboard revenue passengers.

After spending a week in a Qantas hangar in Brisbane (BNE), VH-OGA ferried to Melbourne (MEL) on July 10 as QF6117. On the same day, it then operated a non-revenue Melbourne – Sydney (SYD) – Melbourne rotation. Beginning July 12, VH-OGA has been operating twice-daily Melbourne – Sydney – Melbourne flights.

Despite its range and chatter from Qantas HQ about using the 200-passenger A321XLR to open new routes into Asia and elsewhere, the airline will initially use the plane on domestic routes. However, Qantas hasn’t confirmed what route or provided a definitive entry into service date.

Meanwhile, the second of a further twenty-seven A321XLRs ordered by Qantas, D-AZYY (msn 12427), has undergone engine runs and taxi checks at Airbus’s Hamburg-Finkenwerder Airfield (XFW) in Germany. The second A321XLR will be re-registered as VH-OGB upon delivery to Qantas. Aero South Pacific understands Qantas will take delivery of this aircraft in August.

Once the first XLR is fully certified and inducted into the Qantas fleet, the entry-into service process for subsequent aircraft will speed up. It is anticipated that Qantas will waitQantas until it has two A321XLRs ready to fly before it slots them into the timetables – explaining why the airline is taking two months from VH-OGA’s arrival in Australia to it flying paying passengers.

Photo: Qantas