VH-OGA, “Great Ocean Road”, has seen its forward and rear fuselage, wings, and tail assembled among other major airframe components at Airbus’ facility in Hamburg, Germany. It is the first of 28 firm orders for the A321XLR, which will replace Qantas’ 737-800 fleet over the next decade.

The ACCC’s interim authorisation will allow the airlines to market and sell the flights between Doha and Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, with east coast flights to commence in June 2025 and Perth flights to follow in November.

The legislation, approved by the Senate on Thursday after passing the House last week, introduces steeper penalties for airlines that “misuse” takeoff slots, compels carriers to increase transparency about their slot use, and creates a “recovery period” after significant disruptions.

Painted in the airline’s updated orange-tail livery, as seen on its A321neo LR fleet, the 188-seat VH-A5A is the first of five A320neos slated to arrive by the end of the 2025 financial year and will be based in Melbourne.