The Qantas Group's first Airbus A220 aircraft has entered the final assembly stage, marking a key milestone for the airline group as its fleet renewal program ramps up.

The start of fleet renewal plans

The first Airbus A220-300 aircraft to be delivered to the Qantas Group has entered the construction phase at Airbus' final assembly plant in Mirabel, near Montreal in Canada. The milestone represents a significant milestone in the fleet renewal plans of Australia's national carrier. The first A220 is expected to arrive in Australia before the end of this year.

The plane is the first of 29 A220s that the airline has on order as part of its 'Project Winton' fleet renewal program. The program will see the carrier invest in up to 299 new aircraft to replace and grow its narrowbody fleet.

The significant investment being made by the Qantas Group sees the group members (Qantas, Qantas Link, Jetstar, Qantas Freight) take delivery of a new aircraft every three weeks on average for the next few years.

Photo: Airbus

Slowly coming together

The aircraft's major airframe components, including the center and rear fuselage, are currently on the production line in Mirabel and are being married together, as the photos below illustrate.

The aircraft currently under construction will be the first of the type to be operated in Australia, it will undergo regulatory approvals, airport readiness, and training activities before it joins the QantasLink fleet in early 2024. QantasLink pilots are already undergoing training to fly the new jets once they arrive down under.

Speaking about the start of production of the airline's first A220, QantasLink CEO John Gissing said,

"The production milestone marks an important step in the renewal of the airline’s fleet. The A220 represents the next generation in our domestic fleet in terms of passenger comfort, aircraft range, and opportunities for our people, so seeing the first aircraft starting to take shape is incredibly exciting,”

A220 deployment plans

The 29 A220s that the Qantas Group has on order are being lined up to gradually replace QantasLink's Boeing 717 fleet, deployed on domestic routes across Australia. The 717s are coming to the end of their active lives, with the oldest being almost 23 years old, having been delivered to the airline in August 2000.

A total of seven A220s are expected to be in service by the end of 2024, building up to a total of 29 aircraft by 2027. The QantasLink A220s will seat 137 passengers in a two-cabin configuration with 10 Business seats and 127 seats in Economy.

The airline plans for its new A220s to connect smaller capital cities like Canberra and Hobart with its major operations hubs in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The A220 offers almost double the range of the 717 at over 6,000 kilometers (3,750 miles), meaning it can fly between any two cities in Australia while burning 28% less fuel per seat than the 717.

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The first QantasLink A220 is scheduled to operate flights between Melbourne and Canberra early next year, with subsequent aircraft deployed to other parts of QantasLink's regional and domestic network. Given its range capabilities, the A220s are also expected to open up new domestic and short-haul international routes as more aircraft enter the fleet.

'Name the Plane' competition

Now that the final production of the first aircraft is well underway, the Qantas Group has launched a competition for Australians to help name its fleet of new A220s. The competition's theme is based on the concept of Australian native wildlife.

Photo: G Tipene I Shutterstock

Starting today until August 8th, Australians can nominate up to six names via a dedicated page on the Qantas website. A shortlist will then be released so the public can vote for their favorites before the final names are revealed. Qantas ran a similar competition to name its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet with iconic Australian names in 2017, with more than 10,000 submissions received.

Announcing the launch of its 'name the plane' competition, QantasLink's John Gissing said,

“It won’t be long until we need to paint the name on the side of these aircraft, and we want all Australians to help us choose what we call them. Our aircraft names have always celebrated what’s special about Australia, from its places and pioneers to its natural wonders. Continuing that tradition, we’re naming our A220 fleet after Australia’s unique and rare wildlife."

Mr. Gissing continued,

“Whether it’s a frilled-neck lizard or feathertail glider, an echidna or emu, we want Australians to help choose some names that showcase some of our country’s favorite native animals, in addition to the one already on the tail, reflecting the diversity and color of this wonderful place they call home.”

The first of many to come

With the first A220 currently entering the final assembly stage of production, the entry into service of the next generation of Qantas planes is just around the corner. Having developed its relationship with Airbus in recent times, the Qantas Group expects to receive the A220s alongside seven mid-life A320s, 25 A321XLRs, and 12 A350-1000s to its fleet in the coming years.

Photo: Qantas.

With the A321s having edged out the rival Boeing 737 MAX family to become the backbone of the Qantas domestic fleet, the much-heralded A350-1000s will be deployed on the airline's flagship 'Project Sunrise' operations from Sydney to London and New York.

However, the airline remains tight-lipped regarding the specific launch date for these ultra-long-haul services.

Are you excited to see the first QastasLink A220 on the final assembly line? Will you be hoping to fly on the aircraft when it enters service? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: ch-aviation.com. Executive Traveller,