First Qantas A220 Spotted with Special Livery

Qantas is expecting to take delivery of its first Airbus A220 aircraft before the end of the year.

The new type will be operated by the QantasLink subsidiary, and will grandually replace the outgoing Boeing 717 fleet as more of the new aircraft are introduced.

Now, the first aircraft has been spotted and it’s wearing a unique and special livery to mark the occasion.

QantasLink’s first A220

The first Airbus A220-300 for Qantas is set to take the registration VH-X4A and will be the latest in a long line of aircraft to wear a special art livery from an artist or people native to Australia.

The firt Qantas A220 seen in the paint hangar.

The aircraft doesn’t wear the usual Qantas red-and-white scheme. Instead it wears a special livery by Pitjantjatjara artist Maringka Baker.

The scheme is called Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa, or ‘the two sisters creation story’, and depicts two sisters finding their way home across the vast open spaces of Australia.

Qantas A220 Entry into Service

The first QantasLink A220 will operate flights between Melbourne and Canberra, with subsequent aircraft to be deployed to other parts of the regional and domestic network. With double the range of the 717, the A220 is also expected to open up new domestic and short-haul international routes as more aircraft enter the fleet.

With production now in full swing, the Qantas Group is calling on Australians to help name its fleet of new A220s, based around the theme ‘native wildlife’.

The Qantas Group has ordered 29 Airbus A220s, with purchase right options for more.