Qantas A321XLR gets airborne as CEO defends poor toilet to passenger ratio
Qantas’s first A321XLR has performed its debut passenger flight for the airline after 346 test flights and 40,000 hours of training, but passengers face a toilet shortage on longer flights. Later deliveries will be better equipped.
Qantas has launched its newest narrowbody aircraft into service — the A321XLR — with 60 per cent more overhead locker space than Boeing 737-800s, USB-C power throughout and a miserly two toilets for 177 economy passengers.
The toilet-to-passenger ratio of one for 88 people is one of the worst in the world, but it will be corrected in “a couple of years” when three A321XLRs undergo their first heavy maintenance check.
Although it is unlikely to present a problem on many domestic routes such as Sydney-Melbourne, Qantas plans to use the new aircraft on transcontinental flights of 4.5 to 5 hours duration.
The business cabin, seating 20 people, has its own toilet.
No other airline has such a poor toilet to passenger ratio in economy although Virgin Australia comes close with one for 87 people on its Boeing 737 Max 8s.
At the aircraft’s first passenger flight from Sydney to Melbourne on Thursday, Qantas Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson said the decision to fit just three toilets in total on the first three XLRs was “made many years ago”.
Her predecessor Alan Joyce lodged the order with Airbus in 2022.
“These aircraft, particularly when it flies on Sydney, Melbourne, that is going to be absolutely appropriate, but we’ve listened to our customers and the first three aircraft will be retrofitted (with an extra toilet),” said Ms Hudson.
“The seven aircraft we’ve got coming this year, four of those are coming with three toilets in economy so this is going to be something that we are fixing and it’s because we’ve listened to our customers and we’ve listened to our crew.”
Toilets aside, Ms Hudson said there was much for customers to like about the new aircraft which would gradually replace older Boeing 737s in the Qantas domestic and short haul international fleet.
“There’ll be new seats in business and economy, bigger windows, so you get a much better view,” said Ms Hudson.
“There’s 60 per cent bigger bins, so we know that that’s a pain point for our customers, particularly when they’re travelling for business. It’s quieter, and I also think that customers are going to appreciate that they’re more efficient, so it’s going to help us reduce our emissions and fly further.”
Of the 48 A321XLRs on order from Airbus, 16 will arrive with an international-configured product including a lie-flat bed.
Those aircraft would start arriving in 2028, and open up new routes for Qantas that have previously not been considered economically viable by the airline.
Ms Hudson said getting to the first commercial passenger flight was a significant milestone for Qantas employees, particularly cabin crew and pilots who had trained for many hours in simulators and on 346 test flights.
“There’s been 40,000 hours of training, so it is exciting because it starts the next phase of our domestic narrow body renewal,” Ms Hudson said.
Two XLRs have now been delivered to Qantas, named Great Ocean Road and Outback Way, with pilots taking the former for a look at its namesake Victorian landmark on the first passenger flight from Sydney to Melbourne.
The aircraft will be used on the Golden Triangle and transcontinental routes, adding useful capacity during grand final season.
Australian and International Pilots Association president Andrew Marshall welcomed the start of XLR flights saying it was “a good day for Qantas pilots”.
“We welcome the investment in the mainline fleet, and trust that under Vanessa Hudson Qantas will continue new investment to grow the fleet and bring further opportunities to its experienced and loyal mainline pilot body,” said Captain Marshall.
Qantas is outlaying $15bn on its fleet renewal and will also undertake a major retrofit program to update the cabins of 737s to bring them in line with the XLRs.
The airline is expected to base five aircraft, and partner Jetstar ten, at the new Western Sydney Airport opening next year.
Ms Hudson confirmed on Thursday the airline would be there “from the beginning” and said they were “optimistic about what the new airport would do for that part of Sydney”.
“It’s going to be a fantastic airport,” she said.
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