Qantas international A330s set for an economy makeover

It’s not often that an aircraft cabin upgrade is focused on the back of the aircraft, but Economy class passengers flying on Qantas Airbus A330-200 aircraft operating Asian international services are set to benefit from a cabin refurbishment from late 2025.

The 10 A330-200s, which operate international flights to Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, including Perth-Singapore flights, will be upgraded with new Economy seats that have been designed for extra comfort for the airline’s Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights; Panasonic’s 4K OLED 13.3 inch Astrova in-flight entertainment touchscreens, which are 20 per cent larger than the existing screen; and USB-C fast charging and Bluetooth audio connectivity, allowing passengers to use their own Bluetooth headphones. They will also feature free wi-fi as part of the airline’s international connectivity program with Viasat. The cabin will also be spruced up with new curtains and carpets, as well as mood lighting.

Upgrades are scheduled to start mid-2025, with the first aircraft to enter service by the end of the calendar year, and all 10 to be completed by the end of 2026. The A330s are set to be progressively replaced with new Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s as 12 of each are delivered from financial year 2027 into the next decade.

“We’ve used our fleet renewal program to completely rethink the in-flight experience and these cabin upgrades mean we can bring next-generation features and designs to our existing aircraft,” says Cam Wallace, Qantas International CEO. “Customers can look forward to brand new Economy seats that have been specially created to maximise comfort and provide features that our customers want for international travel. They’re the same seats that will feature on our ultra-long-haul A350-1000ULR aircraft, so it will be a preview of the Project Sunrise flying experience,” he says.