Qantas will increase the capacity of its overhead lockers by 50 percent in a major cabin upgrade made possible by a jump in half-year profits.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said the Qantas Group achieved an Underlying Profit Before Tax of $1.39 billion, an increase of 11 per cent, for the half year to the end of December.
Ms Hudson said that represented a Statutory Profit After Tax of $923 million, an increase of 6 percent, and would allow the carrier to undertake a major Boeing 737 cabin upgrade program in addition to the fleet renewal already underway.
She said 42 of the airline’s 737 aircraft would receive a full cabin overhaul, including new Business and Economy seats and larger overhead lockers with up to 50 percent more space.
“Previous cabin upgrade programs have delivered great outcomes for our customers, and allowed us to bring next generation designs and technologies to current fleet that reflect how our customers want to travel.”
Ms Hudson said the first refurbished aircraft was expected to start flying from 2027, with 737s operating across the airline’s domestic network, trans-Tasman routes as well as to short-haul international destinations like Bali, Fiji and Vanuatu.
She said the cabin upgrades were a critical part of the airline’s overall domestic fleet investment that would see the new Airbus A321XLR progressively replace the 737s over the next decade and more of the smaller A220s to join the fleet.
“Qantas will be one of the first airlines in the world to operate the A321XLR.”
Ms Hudson said the group’s first A321XLR, which entered the final assembly in November and had just been painted in the Qantas livery, was scheduled to arrive in June, with a total of four of the next generation aircraft expected by the end of the calendar year.
“The A321XLR offers more comfortable Economy seats, a 66 percent increase in Business seats, a quieter flight, long and wide spacious cabin, extra-large overhead lockers and fast free Wi-Fi.”
