Bigger seats, more reach: Jetstar's new Airbus lands
Jetstar’s first Airbus A321neo LR arrives at the airline’s hangar in Melbourne. Photo: Chris Hopkins
Bigger seats, a larger overhead bin and a quieter cabin are what passengers look forward to when flying on Jetstar’s newest aircraft, the Airbus A320neo.
Eleven years after ordering the plane, Jetstar’s first A320neo landed on Sunday at Melbourne Airport, having traveled from Hamburg, Germany, via Mumbai and Perth.
The Jet, the A321neo LR (long-range) variation of the A320neo, comes to the crowd of Jetstar employees and their families with INXS’s New Sensation detonation throughout the hangar.
The Jetstar Airbus A321neo LR has a complete economy class configuration with 232 seats. Photo: Craig Platt
The jet engines are 15 percent more fuel efficient than Jetstar’s current A320 fleet, and 50 percent quieter and can fly up to 1200 kilometers further.
Fuel efficiency is a key selling point for Airbus (“neo” means “new engine option”), as the airline seeks to reduce emissions and fuel costs amid soaring oil prices.
“Even if oil prices don’t change, it matters,” said Jetstar chief executive Gareth Evans. “The biggest challenge for the industry as a whole over the next decade and beyond is sustainability.
“We have recognized that, as a Qantas Group, with some of the most ambitious targets out there – 25 percent emission reductions by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050. Neo is part of that journey along with sustainable aviation fuel.”
Evans says Jetstar has made other changes to the neo to reduce weight and fuel costs. There are light kitchen carts and cargo containers, and even airplane paint has been developed to lighten the load. The new paint reduces weight by 50 kilograms and, combined with other changes, removes 170 kilograms from each flight.
“This translates to a savings of 1.2 million kilograms of fuel per year, a reduction of nearly 4000 tonnes of emissions,” Evans said.
He said Jetstar was operating roughly the same number of flights as before COVID, amid soaring passenger demand.
“We’re trying to manage supply, demand and of course the impact of the fuel bill, so we’ve taken some capacity,” he said. Reducing the number of available seats increases the load on other flights, making it more cost-effective.
The A321neo LR is the widest single aisle aircraft on the market, with 232 Jetstar economy seats on board offering a seat pitch (legroom) of 74 centimeters, and a width of 45.7 centimeters. That’s the same legroom as on other Jetstar domestic aircraft, but slightly more roomy.
Jetstar chief executive Gareth Evans spoke at the arrivals event. Photo: Chris Hopkins
Passengers will also have 40 percent more space in bins, seat-mounted device mounts and streaming entertainment services.
Unlike the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, there will be no business class.
“Especially, these planes will fly domestically,” Evans said. “This is a plane that will be able to move between the two networks [international and domestic]but at the same time we have ensured that we have good seat spacing and elements that enhance customer comfort.”
The aircraft will first be deployed on the Melbourne-Cairns route in early September, before being rolled out to other domestic routes and several international destinations including Bali.
Jetstar has ordered 38 A321neo. The first 18 aircraft will arrive in the next two years, followed by 20 long-range versions by 2029. Airbus has received 8,100 orders from more than 130 customers worldwide for the aircraft. About half of the A321neo’s fleet will be based in Melbourne, Evans said.
See also: The world’s largest twin-engine jet makes a very steep takeoff
See also: Superjumbo return: Airlines still flying the A380 to Australia
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