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Qantas more than halfway through A330 reconfig program

written by australianaviation.com.au | February 20, 2016

New business class seats are being progressively rolled out on Qantas's A330 fleet. (Chris Frame)
New business class seats are being progressively rolled out on Qantas’s A330 fleet. (Chris Frame)

Qantas says it is more than half way through the reconfiguration of its 28-strong Airbus A330 fleet with new business class seats and a refreshed economy cabin.

So far, Qantas has completed eight of its 10 A330-300s, which are mainly used on international routes to Asia and Honolulu, plus nine of the smaller capacity A330-200s flying with the new business class, which features 28 seats with direct aisle access and the ability for passengers to have their seats partially reclined during takeoff and landing.

“Our eighth reconfigured international A330 aircraft has taken to the skies, taking the total number of refurbished A330s across our domestic and international network to 17,” Qantas said in note to travel agents posted on its website on Friday.

“We’re more than halfway through our reconfiguration program and look forward to welcoming the next 11 aircraft.”

The program to reconfigure the entire fleet of 18 A330-200s and 10 A330-300s with the Thompson Aero Seating business class seats and refreshed Recaro-designed economy seats was expected to be completed by the end of 2016.

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Virgin Australia completed the reconfiguration of its six Airbus A330-200s business class cabin with the B/E Aerospace Super Diamond reverse herringbone business class in November 2015. The Airbus widebodies are used on domestic routes between Perth and Australia’s east coast capitals and on services to Nadi on the Saturdays during select periods of the year.

The first of its five Boeing 777-300ERs, which fly from Australia to Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi, with the new business class seats was expected to take to the skies in April, Virgin chief executive John Borghetti said recently.

“All the major tests have been passed. There are just a couple of things to finalise but at this stage all is looking good,” Borghetti told Australian Aviation on February 11.

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Comments (9)

  • Craigy

    says:

    That’s funny, I was sure the Honolulu flights were A332’s not A333’s

  • Christopher Campbell

    says:

    Hopefully once all the A330-300s are refurbished they have 2 A33-200s being refurbished at once.

  • Luke

    says:

    I agree with you Craigy

  • Rick Hawthorne

    says:

    Are these new configurations being done at Lufhansa Technic in Manila? I often see a Qantas plane being serviced here. 767s in the past and all the A380s went through Manila at some stage. B.E Aerospace manufacture galleys, bathroom and cabin fittings in the Philippines and Lufthansa Technic has handled many carriers from all over since 2002. Their list of customers and aircraft type is quite impressive.

    A 6 year old Lufthansa A380 (D AIMA) flew in last Feb. 15 for some scheduled maintenance or reconfiguration.

    The article didn’t suggest where the A330s were being refurbished.

  • Christopher Campbell

    says:

    All the A330s are being refurbished in Brisbane. They are maintained as well as all the 737s in Brisbane.

  • Aden O'keefe-Buckton

    says:

    @Graigy QF3/4 is operated by the A330-200

  • Geoff

    says:

    Recently flew to Tokyo. Non refurbished version there and refurbished version back. The new seats are great. The new business seats are getting closer and closer to the First suites.

  • John Harrison

    says:

    I can’t say what they have done “up the front” but down the back, I don’t find it so good. The trays have no adjustment now, so your stuck with very little room, once the tray is down. The old ones had some movement forwards and backwards. On a flight recently from SYD – PER, lady next to me told the crew where to stick their meals, as she said there is no room. Not for to good I am afraid.

  • Andrew Haken

    says:

    This refurbishment will remove the final traces of the bogan stench from their previous use by Jetstar. Interesting to note that Jetstar have received all their aircraft as new, All the A320s brand new, they received Qantas A330 new when their order for B787 was delayed and then as a result of those late deliveries flick the A330s back to Qantas when their new B787s arrived and then Qantas pays for the refurbishment. No wonder this miserable airline Jetstar has has a favorable balance sheet.

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