Qantas launches contest to switch small jets -sources

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SYDNEY/BOSTON — Qantas Airways is in talks with a number of planemakers over plans to resume its fundamental narrowbody and regional airliner fleets and is anticipated to formalize the negotiations with a young announcement inside days, business sources stated.

The Australian service is learning the Airbus A220 and Brazilian Embraer’s E2 to switch a regional fleet of 20 Boeing 717s and 18 Fokker 100s, they added.

Boeing’s 737 MAX 7, the smallest member of its best-selling single-aisle household, can also be seen as a contender.

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Within the busiest a part of the market, Airbus and Boeing are competing face to face as Qantas additionally seeks to switch Boeing 737-800s, the oldest of that are almost 20 years previous.

The mixed strikes might result in staggered purchases of as many as 100 jets together with choices, the sources stated.

In Boston, the place airline executives have been gathering for an business assembly, Qantas Chief Government Alan Joyce declined to remark forward of a digital information briefing scheduled for Monday. Planemakers Airbus, Boeing and Embraer additionally declined to remark.

Talks over the influential airline’s enterprise have been beneath means for months, however Qantas is anticipated to set out its necessities publicly inside days because it and different airways eye potential bargains for jets within the wake of the COVID-19 disaster.

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“We’ve stated for a while that the renewal of our home narrowbody fleet is on our agenda,” a Qantas spokesperson stated.

“It’s a long-term proposition and when we’ve got any materials updates to offer, we are going to.”

Qantas had initially deliberate to put an order in 2020 https://www.reuters.com/article/qantas-fleet-orders-idUSL3N20G2W6 however that was delayed by the pandemic. Chief Monetary Officer Vanessa Hudson stated in February a young can be launched this 12 months.

Qantas finances arm Jetstar has 109 A320neo household planes on order https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-airshow-qantas-idUSKCN1TK06Q, however the begin of deliveries has been postponed till not less than July 2022 because of the impression of the pandemic.

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In a separate contest dubbed ‘Venture Dawn,’ Qantas chosen Airbus over Boeing for jets able to staging the world’s longest business flights from Sydney to London, however the plans have been delayed by the pandemic.

Joyce stated in August that order for A350-family jets wouldn’t be revisited till worldwide borders reopened.

Australia stated on Friday it will start a staged opening of worldwide borders https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-ease-international-travel-curbs-sources-2021-10-01 subsequent month however solely vaccinated residents and everlasting residents can be included and they’d be required to quarantine at dwelling for seven days on arrival.

The nation has not set a date for opening borders to foreigners. (Reporting by Jamie Freed, extra reporting by Tim Hepher, enhancing by Philippa Fletcher)