Qantas issues narrowbody fleet renewal RFP

Qantas Group says it has entered the final stages of a formal tender process with aircraft and engine manufacturers for the long-term renewal of its domestic narrow-body fleet.

The Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) parent said the program will see more than 100 new aircraft enter the national carrier’s domestic fleet by 2034, renewing its seventy-five B737-800s (of which of 59 are owned with the rest leased in) and twenty B717-200s (all of which are in service with Cobham Aviation Services Australia – Airline Services) that currently form the backbone of its domestic jet operations. The airline’s eighteen Fokker 100s, all of which are in service with Network Aviation, are not part of the plan although a spokeswoman did confirm to ch-aviation that they are considering “a few options”.

The aircraft being considered are the B737 MAX family from Boeing, the A220 and A320neo Families from Airbus, and the E2 from Embraer.

Final decisions on preferred suppliers of aircraft and engines are expected to be made by the end of this year with firm orders to be placed by mid-2022. Deliveries will start from the end of 2023 however the Group will retain significant flexibility to make adjustments depending on market conditions.

“We’re calling this Project Winton, after the birthplace of Qantas in outback Queensland, because this is a foundational decision for the future of our domestic operations,” Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said. “This is a long-term renewal plan with deliveries and payments spread over 10 years, starting in FY23, but the equally long lead time means we need to make these decisions soon.”

The Qantas Group has an existing order for 109 A320/A321neo, which will predominantly be used to renew Jetstar Airways’ exiting fleet of A320ceo aircraft. The first neo is due to be delivered in the second half of calendar year 2022 with deliveries through to end of the decade.

As previously reported, the Australian carrier is also edging towards a firm order for twelve A350-1000(ULR)s for its ultra-longhaul Project Sunrise.

Editorial Comment: Updates with Qantas’s official statement and commentary on Fokker 100 fleet – 05.10.2021 – 22:20 UTC