I was excitedly anticipating this flight with Qantas’ one of only two newly acquired A220’s at the time.  More fuel efficient and with nearly double the range, these will eventually replace the older  B717’s in the Qantas fleet.

Airline and Flight #

Qantas |QF1266

Aircraft

Airbus A220-300

Airport and Terminal

Departure:  Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne Victoria, Australia |Terminal 1

Arrival: Canberra Airport, Canberra ACT, Australia

Scheduled Departure Date and Time

Saturday 16th March 2024 | 10:00 (10am)

Scheduled Flying Time

1 hour 5 minutes (delayed by 2 minutes)

Luggage Allowance

Checked Luggage

Luggage is included in the Qantas fare with limits varying according to travel destination, travel class and frequent flyer status.  Business class passengers on a domestic flight are allowed two checked bags up to 32kg (70lb) each. Platinum and Platinum One Business class flyers are allowed an extra piece. If your ticket includes flights to the US then the International bag limits apply.  This is also the case if the flights are on separate tickets but the connection is on the same day.  So for Qantas Club members, or silver or gold Qantas frequent flyers, three checked bags are allowed in Business class for a ticket originating to or from the US.  The length + height + depth of any bag cannot exceed 158cm (62in).

Carry-on 

All classes are allowed 14kg (30lb) with no bag heavier than 10kg (22lb).  This can be in the following combinations:

1 x 115cm (45in) bag = 56cm (22in)+ 36cm (14in)+ 23cm (9in) up to 10kg (22lb).

Or

2 x 105cm (41in) bags = 48cm (19in) + 34cm (13in) + 23cm (9in) with one piece up to 10kgs (22lb); 14kgs (30lb) total.

Or

1 x 105cm (41in) bag = 48cm (19in) + 34cm (13 in) + 23cm (9in) + 1 x 185cm (72lb) non-rigid garment bag = 60cm (23in) + 11cm (4in) + 114cm (44in) with one piece up to 10kg (22lb); 14kgs (30lb) total.

Fun Facts

• Qantas is the third oldest airline in the world and Australia’s largest airline
• Qantas is an acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services
• Qantas is a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance
• Qantas’ main hub is in Sydney, Australia
• Registered VH-X4B and sporting the Aussie name “Koala”, this plane is one of only two A220’s owned by QANTAS at this time and came into service this month (March 2024) after being built in Montreal, Canada.
• This plane and the A220’s QANTAS will be acquiring in the future are more fuel efficient (28% less fuel burned per person compared with the B717’s), quieter and have a longer flight range than the aging B717’s they will be replacing.

Check-in 

Check-in for Qantas domestic flights commences 24 hours prior to departure (if checking in via the Qantas app or online) and up until 30 minutes prior to departure.  If connecting to an International flight check-in closes earlier depending on a number of factors.  For further details see here. Check-in can be done via one of the following ways:

1. Mobile check-in – by downloading the Qantas app you can check in and access your digital boarding pass without the need to print it.  Other benefits of this method include being alerted to when check-in first opens, access to real time flight data in case of delays and the ability to view any entertainment options prior to your flight.  The app also allows you to choose your seats.  You can only use this method if you have no connecting flights.
2. Desktop check-in – by logging on to the Qantas website http://Qantas.com and entering your booking reference and last name to bring up your booking.  Select the Checkin/Print Boarding Pass button and remember to take your boarding pass with you to the airport.
3. At the airport – via the self-service kiosks or at the desk in the Departures area prior to passing through security.  Here you can also select your seat, enter your frequent flyer number, upgrade your flight using Qantas points and print out your boarding pass and bag tags so you can drop off any bags at the bag drop.  Recommended check-in time is 45 minutes prior to departure on domestic flights.

Airport Lounge

This would have to be the nicest Qantas domestic business class lounge I’ve ever been to.  With seating for 350 passengers, the space felt spacious, uncrowded and bright due to the mix of indoor lighting and natural light coming in from the windows along the entire length of the lounge.  Fantastic views of the runway could also been seen.  I liked that there were power and data outlets with all fixed seating positions, something sadly lacking at other airport lounges.

The Melbourne domestic business class lounge was designed by Woods Bagot and his dark tones and finishes in marble, timber, brass, glass and black metal make the area look impressive.  Features of the lounge include a communal work zone with large work tables, mixed seating arrangements with different furniture, a magazine rack, flight information, large TV screens and shower suites.

We were there at breakfast time so the Spice Bar was not available but there was a good range of hot and cold breakfast options ranging from Scrambled eggs, bacon and baked beans to Bircher muesli, almond chia pudding,  pancakes, fruit and pastries.  A fresh fruit and vegetable juice station was available, along with a Quench station offering healthy flavoured and sparkling waters. All day Barista coffee was also on hand.  Alcoholic beverages were available to help yourself until bar service commenced at midday.

Seating

Layout – The Qantas A220-300 is a narrow bodied twin engine single isle jet. With just two classes, it is comprised of just ten business class seats in a 2-2 configuration and 127 economy class seats in a 2-3 configuration with two seats on the left hand side of the plane and three on the right.  We were  seated in row 3 on the right hand side of the aircraft.

Seats – The seats were made of maroon leather and still had that enticing new smell to them.  The headrests were adjustable six ways and included head-wings.  Two buttons on the side of the cocktail tray allowed for seat back recline and shin support. Seat pitch was 37 inches (94 cm) with a 5 inch (12.7 cm) recline and seat width was a generous 23.9 inches (60.8 cm). Leg room was plentiful and there was even a foot rest which you rarely see on aircraft these days.

Trays – The trays are stored inside the arm rest and were quite tricky to release, perhaps owing to the fact they were new and still a bit stiff.  The trays can be folded half way or be fully expanded.  They were large, sturdy and could be pushed either away or towards you.  A flip up tablet holder was a feature new to me on the tray.  There was no cup holder on either side and thankfully returning the tray into its position in the arm rest was easier than taking it out.

Storage – Storage was quite good on this aircraft and included:

• Integrated tablet shelf
• Literature pocket
• Extendable cocktail table
• In arm tray table with built in tablet holder
• Integrated coat hook
• Spacious overhead storage bins

Cabin Comfort

• Seats were wide and comfortable
• A foot rest and an adjustable shin rest was a pleasant surprise for a domestic flight
• Individual air vents above each seat allowed passengers to control the amount of air flow and a reading light was also overhead
• Two large windows beside the seat allowed for good views and lots of light

In-flight Entertainment

Electronic Devices

• Electronic devices can be used whilst boarding using the aerobridge but not if you’re using the tarmac to board.
• Once doors on the plane have closed you need to then switch your device to flight mode
• Phones could not be charged during takeoff and landing

Power

Dual USB A and USB C power was provided in the seat back and under the cocktail tray.  There is also a wireless charging pad under the middle armrest.

In the Seat Pocket

In the seat pocket was the safety card, an air sickness bag and the Qantas magazine.

WiFi

Qantas now has Wifi on all domestic flights including their A220-300.

Entertainment System

No personal entertainment screens were fitted to this new aircraft.  It is becoming more common as the added weight results in higher fuel bills for the airline.  However with flight mode turned on you can enable WiFi to connect to the Q-Streaming or Qantas Free WiFi network to access entertainment to view or listen to on your own personal device.

Catering

Menus

There were no menus on this short flight with just the one food option.

Food/Drinks

As soon as the seatbelt lights were turned off, cabin crew began preparations for the meal service.  The usual soft drinks, water and juices were available and this time I went for a glass of sparkling water to drink.  As it was before 12pm no alcoholic beverages were being offered. We were served a generous sized individual spinach and feta quiche with herbed tomatoes along with a Lindt chocolate ball.  Tea and coffee was also available.  The quiche was very tasty and filling, especially as we had also eaten in the lounge prior to boarding our flight.

Restrooms

There is one business class toilet with baby change facilities up the front left of the aircraft.  The tap is not contactless and needs to be pressed for water to come out.  Two additional toilets for Economy passengers are located at the rear of the aircraft with one being wheelchair accessible.

Service

• The service on this flight was excellent.  The crew were noticeably excited about their new aircraft and their enthusiasm was great to see.  Brooke was our cabin attendant and she couldn’t have been nicer.

Pros

• Brand new aircraft
• Comfortable seats with generous amounts of room and storage
• Tasty food
• Friendly and enthusiastic cabin crew
• WiFi enabled

Cons

• No entertainment screens
• The tray tables are hard to deploy from the armrests
• My shin rest didn’t seem to work properly

Conclusion

I loved this flight on Qantas’ new A220.  The aircraft felt way superior to the usual domestic planes I’m used to and of course everything was new.  The staff were also very friendly and obviously excited to be flying in the new A220.  It was nice having access to WiFi although I am a sucker for the old fashioned individual entertainment screen which is sadly missing on this aircraft.