Qantas Group expects to receive seven new aircraft between now and June 30, the end of the 2024/25 financial year, two fewer than previously planned. The first A321-200NY(XLR) will be delayed by about two months and is now scheduled for delivery in June 2025, the group, which houses Qantas, Jetstar Airways, and Qantas Freight, among other companies, said in its half-yearly results on February 27.
Over the remainder of the financial year, in addition to the A321-200XLR the group expects to take delivery of another two A220-300s for Qantas, and one A321-200NX(LR) and three A320-200Ns for Jetstar. This reflects some minor adjustments since the announcement of the last results in September 2024. At the time, the group had planned to receive two A321XLRs and eight A321LRs over the 2024/25 financial year - one more of each type than will materialise. It says the OEM production process continues to be challenged by supply chain disruptions, including from seat suppliers.
In the first half of the financial year, Jetstar took delivery of six A321-200NX(LR)s and two A320-200Ns, and Qantas took three A220-300s.
The group also took delivery of five mid-life aircraft in the same period, including two A319-100s tasked with fly-in-fly-out operations in Western Australia operated by Network Aviation and three DHC-8-Q400s for the QantasLink regional network operated by Sunstate Airlines.
Aircraft retirements this financial year include nineteen DHC-8-Q200s and DHC-8-Q300s, and twelve B717-200s.
The group expects the last two A380-800s, currently stored at Abu Dhabi International, will return to service later in 2025. It says the first A350-1000ULR ordered for Project Sunrise flights will enter its final assembly stage around September, followed by test flights. Qantas is expecting its first A350 in the latter half of 2026.
In this week's results announcement, the group said it would initiate a B737-800 refurbishment programme in 2026, installing new seats and larger overhead lockers. Forty-two of the seventy-five B737s flying for Qantas will participate, while the older B737s will remain as is but be first in line for retirement as replacement aircraft like the A321XLR arrive. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson commented that having a strong business meant it could invest in fleet renewal and cabin refurbishment.
Qantas Group's after-tax profits for the six months to December 30 rose 6% to AUD923 million Australian dollars (USD578 million). Hudson also announced an investor dividend of AUD400 million (USD250 million), the first since 2019. This includes a base payment of AUD250 million (USD156 million) and a special dividend of AUD150 million (USD94 million).
