The Qantas Group has confirmed an order for 24 widebody aircraft on Thursday, the final piece of the company’s jet fleet renewal program.
The multibillion-dollar purchase is split between 12 Airbus A350s and 12 Boeing 787s, with delivery beginning in fiscal 2027 and continuing into the next decade, Qantas said in an ASX announcement.
Qantas also stated that the agreement was made to provide a replacement for its current Airbus A330 and A380 aircraft.
As part of the agreement with both Airbus and Boeing, Qantas will gain access to up to 500 million litres of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) every year, beginning in 2028.
Qantas said this has the potential to meet up to 90 per cent of the group’s interim SAF target for 2030.
As a direct replacement for conventional jet kerosene, SAF decreases lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent and is an important component of Qantas’ emissions reduction strategy.
Access to these resources will be made possible by collaboration with Boeing and Airbus on SAF projects, including those in the United States.
Qantas anticipates purchasing the SAF at a low cost due to advantageous government policy in the United States.
While these agreements assist the group’s interim aims, access to an Australian SAF sector is important to the industry’s larger ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
“This is another multi-billion dollar investment in the national carrier and it’s great news for our customers and our people,” said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.
“It’s in addition to the 149 firm aircraft we still have in order to continue renewing the domestic fleet for Qantas and Jetstar, and for the non-stop Project Sunrise flights to London and New York,” the CEO added.
Joyce determined that the new aircraft will open up new routes and improve travel experiences for clients, as well as new jobs and promotions for our personnel.
Vanessa Hudson, CEO designate, stated that these talks began as a result of the narrowbody and Sunrise campaigns, and that momentum helped produce pricing and delivery slots that made this an attractive prospect for the Group.
“This deal gives the Qantas Group access to sustainable aviation fuel supplies out of the United States, making us one of the first airlines in the world to have a pathway to achieving our 2030 SAF targets,” added Hudson.
