Qantas delays A321XLR international debut on Brisbane-Manila route

Qantas has postponed the international debut of its Airbus A321XLR aircraft on the Brisbane-Manila route. Originally scheduled to begin on 25 October 2026, the narrowbody service is now set to launch on 1 February 2027.

A Qantas spokesperson stated that the Airbus A330-200 will continue to operate the Brisbane-Manila service until the end of January 2027 due to “operational reasons.” While the specific reasons for the delay were not disclosed, the airline has previously faced delivery delays regarding its XLR fleet.

Despite the delay in aircraft type, Qantas intends to increase the Brisbane-Manila service to a daily frequency in late 2026, using the A330 to cover the expanded schedule. The current A321XLR configuration features recliner seats in business class rather than lie-flat beds; Qantas expects to receive aircraft with lie-flat business class seating starting in 2028.