Qantas’ newest jet spreads its wings to Singapore

Almost 30 of the modern Airbus A220 aircraft are arriving in the next few years.

By David Flynn, November 5 2024
Qantas’ newest jet spreads its wings to Singapore

With the last QantasLink Boeing 717 being put out to pasture last month, the new Airbus A220 is coming into its own – and as more than just a short-range regional jet.

The nimble A220 already connects Sydney and Melbourne with Hobart, Launceston and Coffs Harbour, along with Melbourne to Canberra and Brisbane.

But in the coming months, Melbourne-Darwin and then Darwin-Singapore will be added to the Qantas A220 network.

Those routes speak to the range and efficiency of the A220, says QantasLink CEO Rachel Yangoyan, who is busily making sure her A220s are kept busy.

“You’ll see it come down (from Darwin) and then cycle through Melbourne onto all the other routes,” Yangoyan told Executive Traveller ahead of the final Boeing 717 flight.

“The 717s weren’t necessarily utilised as much as or as many hours per day as we will the A220s.”

Qantas' A220 business class.
Qantas' A220 business class.

This approach also helps fill any shortfall between the QantasLink 717 fleet – which numbered nine jets when the first A220 took wing – and the current fleet of just four A220s.

A fifth A220 is due to arrive by year’s end, and two more by mid-2025 – catching up to the seven which Qantas originally expected to have in December 2024.

Yangoyan says the A220 is being supplemented by a mix of ‘Dash 8’ Q400 turboprops, leased Embraer E190s and even some Boeing 737s.

“When you step back and actually look at capacity, when you manage the fleet holistically, there’s no change in capacity with those 717s.”

Qantas will eventually hold the keys to 29 A220s by the end of 2027 “and we know we’re going to need all 29.”

Qantas' A220 economy class.
Qantas' A220 economy class.

Review: Qantas A220 business, economy class

Bound for Singapore

While Qantas had slated the returning Darwin-Singapore route for an Embraer E190 leased from Alliance Airlines, Yangoyan explains the A220 provides “greater capacity with the additional seats, and the economics of it makes sense.”

Yangoyan says this will also be the first time the QantasLink brand, rather than that of its parent, will be seen outside Australia – but “it’s still the red tail, it’s still Qantas and very much the Qantas experience that our customers know and love, and it comes back to the A220 being the right aircraft for that route.”

Will passengers agree? Going up against incumbent Singapore Airlines is no easy task, especially when both airlines’ prices are on par and Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 737 MAX offers seatback screens – controversially missing from the red-tailed A220 – along with fully lie-flat seats in business class.

Singapore Airlines' 737 MAX: business class beds, and screens for every seat.
Singapore Airlines' 737 MAX: business class beds, and screens for every seat.

The 737 MAX also has free WiFi, which Qantas says won’t be offered on the A220 until late 2025, when the ViaSat-3 Asia Pacific F3 satellite comes online.

(Qantas says the A220s come equipped for both the Australian NBN and international ViaSat-3 satellites, with the capability to switch between networks depending where the aircraft is flying.)

Review: Singapore Airlines 737 MAX business class

That said, Yangoyan believes “there are many reasons why customers will choose Qantas”, citing the airline’s “loyalty program and proposition” including status perks, “the schedule and (also) how it connects into our services out of Singapore to London.”

“We feel confident (the route) is going to do well, which is why we've made the call to commence operations there, and we feel confident that the A220 is a great experience for our customers on board.”

However, Yangoyan sees international routes as being the exception rather than the rule for the A220.

“We’ve got still a lot to do in terms of replacing the 717, so while I’d never say never, largely we will be focused on connecting Australian cities with the A220.”

“But the range and the capability of these aircraft means that if demand changes, we’ve got the ability to be flexible and look at what that provides.”

QF

11 Jul 2014

Total posts 1013

Are people going to use a A220 to Singapore? I might as well fly Jetstar and what will Alliance do with all there planes once Qantas doesn't need them anymore?

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

26 Nov 2012

Total posts 126

Never underestimate the power of the QFF programme and the Singapore Flounge and Lounge. 

Qantas

19 Apr 2012

Total posts 1429

Alliance will be mainly fifo business in WA.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

04 Nov 2017

Total posts 350

FIFO in WA/Qld and some Fokker replacements.

26 Mar 2020

Total posts 73

Yes they will - its called Red Sale Fare.

People will subject themselves to single aisle 8 hour Qantas Link flight and then hop online and complain about it after 

I can see Qantas replacing the A330 jets and using the A220 on Australia to Asia flights - remember the A220's have no seat back entertainment either 

07 Oct 2012

Total posts 1250

"This will also be the first time the QantasLink brand, rather than that of its parent, will be seen outside Australia." The old Cairns - Port Moresby route may disagree.

02 Jun 2013

Total posts 57

And the current Darwin-Dili route (Alliance E190s in QFLink livery)

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

10 May 2016

Total posts 6

I thought they also flew thee route to East Timor

Indeed, many a Q400 I flew out of POM on a Friday evening

28 Aug 2021

Total posts 2

Hutch, you are 100% correct, Qantaslink also currently flies to Dili - East Timor.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

30 May 2013

Total posts 383

This isn't correct - the Qantaslink brand HAS been seen outside of Australia before. More recently there's been flights to Port Moresby, Singapore, East Timor and even the Brisbane to Wellington route. You'd have hoped the QantasLink CEO would have known this!

08 Feb 2018

Total posts 166

Doesn’t QantasLink fly to Dili? So Singapore wouldn’t be the first destination outside Australia. I hope the ceo knows where their planes go!

Etihad - Etihad Guest

21 Jul 2019

Total posts 190

The Qantas experience we all "know and love" is the reason why the SQ 737 will still be choice of savvy business AND economy travellers from up North.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

23 Feb 2017

Total posts 13

Hmm qantaslink or Singapore airlines. 

One has free wifi, seat back screens, food that comes on a tray with plenty of options and connections to a wide network. 

The other has the cheap options of no screens, food in a box, no wifi and maybe a connection to London or some jetstar connections through a separate terminal. I don't think sq are concerned. 

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

16 Feb 2019

Total posts 4

@Qf41 couldn't have said it any better myself

31 May 2013

Total posts 29

Wasnt BNE- WLG also on an E-190 on Qantaslink colours?

Curious what sort of hot meals the galley on these regional jets can offer? And if they have enough storage for a decent J bar 

26 Mar 2020

Total posts 73

Yes its been flying the route for months now too

Its alright sector but BNE to WLG is 3 hours not say 8 - 9 hours from Australia to Asia

28 Mar 2018

Total posts 34

I'm a Darwinite. 

I have to laugh at the number of people who probably don't live in Darwin yet feel the need to disparage a service they will never fly.

The A220 and 737 are different, just like the service styles of SQ and QF. Some of us will like SQ and others will like QF. It's great to competition return to this key route.

Joe
Joe

03 May 2013

Total posts 685

MEL-DRW-SIN anyone on an A220?

Qantas

19 Apr 2012

Total posts 1429

I don’t think they will have much through traffic. It’s all about aircraft utilisation.

20 Sep 2024

Total posts 8

@ Nalanji 

I agree with you . I in Townsville, we would love a A220-300 service Townsville -Singapore, just get up in the morning and go to Townsville Airport. Instead of costly trip to Cairns or to Brisbane. We would be very gratefully if a service started in Townsville.      

28 Mar 2018

Total posts 34

@Rhodes Mono

Many don't understand the challenges of northern living. 

I fly Darwin-UK 3 or 4 times a year. SQ has been almost full and the few available seats are priced at eye watering levels. 

This means I have to back track via a southern capital and it adds over 10hrs each way.

I figured out that, per each DRW-SYD-UK return trip, the distance I spend flying over Australia is the same distance as nonstop Darwin-Paris flight. 

This excess travel has a far greater impact on my trip satisfaction (and health) than whether my economy meal is served in a box or on a tray.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

16 Jan 2018

Total posts 58

I think those with Qantas FF or Oneworld would still fly Qantas for the Darwin-Sin route, though perhaps grudingly. Not that many hours of flight time anyway, so probably can put up with crappy services in exchange of points and SCs.

Singapore airlines is great but personally, I am still concerned over 737 Max safety. So Qantas would win me in this case.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

10 May 2019

Total posts 11

Have to agree I think Darwin - Singapore with Qantas is still a good option if you are after points & SC , I also am not intending to fly on the 737 Max ,, Im sure they are safe but I will fly Qantas on this leg

25 Feb 2024

Total posts 4

Nail on the head with SQ competition - I, like a few others I know have moved from QF to SQ.

08 May 2020

Total posts 90

1/2 way looking into Qantas flight to HKT via Singapore I gave up how complicated it is from Melbourne.  Melbourne, Sydney, Singapore and then Jetstar Singapore to Phuket. I immediately knew not to continue the search, especially when Jetstar came into play. 

Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus

15 Jan 2013

Total posts 461

This will be interesting to see.What I would like to see out of Adelaide is we have a service on the a220 run via Darwin through to Singapore(Like what we had between 2001 and 2006,I don't know why they discontinued the nonstop at the time which had been running that way for the period Nov 1982 to October 2001 direct for one stops).Have it link into the QF1 OR BA16 for London,the Air France services to Paris and the Finnair to Helsinki and the same on the return for the corresponding BA15/QF2 and the other carriers mentioned returning from the UK or Europe.

Etihad - Etihad Guest

10 Apr 2019

Total posts 18

QFlink have flown to Wellington, and currently serve Solomon Islands and Timor Leste so it's not the first the a Qantas link flight has been to an international destination at all. 


Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Qantas’ newest jet spreads its wings to Singapore