Images: The Champagne Mile
It is believed that Qantas will restart its long-awaited international services out of Adelaide as the new Airbus A321 XLR shakes up the aviation industry. This is set to unlock new opportunities for long-overlooked routes, thanks to its extended range and fuel efficiency, including direct international routes from the City of Churches.
Qantas first stopped its international services out of Adelaide in 2013, forcing South Australian travellers to connect through the rest of the country when travelling with Qantas.
Adele Eliseo from The Champagne Mile, a leading travel and finance publisher that helps consumers travel in style for less, spoke with Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson at an Airbus media briefing in Hamburg about this potential addition to Adelaide’s aviation scene.
Adele wrote, “It’s really important when you’re bringing in a new fleet that you get to scale,” Hudson told The Champagne Mile when responding to a question about the likelihood of international services restarting from South Australia’s capital. Hudson confirmed that Qantas has been actively in discussion with South Australia’s premier, Peter Malinauskas, and that “Adelaide will absolutely be a route and a network that we look at.”
She added that reviving international service from Adelaide is part of the broader vision and referenced Adelaide – Singapore as a likely route, making it clear that South Australia is very much on Qantas’ radar.”
So what makes the A321 XLR so ideal? It has a range of up to 8,700 kilometres and better fuel efficiency. It is a single-aisle jet, which is a benefit when travelling to destinations in Asia, as it becomes more economically viable without the higher costs associated with widebody aircraft.
Inside the aircraft, you’ll find 20 recliner-style business class seats and 177 economy seats. There will also be plenty of upgraded features, including 60 per cent more overhead storage space and comfortable mood lighting designed to reduce jetlag. Despite these benefits, there will be no built-in inflight entertainment. Instead, passengers who wish to access entertainment will need to use Qantas’ existing streaming service on their own devices.
While Qantas has yet to officially confirm the plans, Hudson’s discussion with Adele makes it clear that Adelaide is genuinely on the airline’s radar for A321 XLR routes.
If any new international services were to come to Adelaide, it would still be several years away. But for Adelaide, this represents a promising step towards regaining direct international flights with Qantas.
To find out more in Adele’s article, click here.
