JetStar Unveils New Airbus A321LR Livery

DALLAS - The first of Jetstar's (JQ) 38 Airbus NEO aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Melbourne in the coming months as it prepares to enter a new era of flying.

The A321LR aircraft is set to take to the skies on some of the Australian LCC's most popular domestic routes, including Melbourne to Cairns.

The new livery, which features a distinctive orange tail and underbelly, as well as newly branded wingtips, employs a two-coat 'basecoat-clearcoat' system that is long-lasting and reduces paint weight by up to 30%, resulting in a fuel savings of up to 108 tonnes per year and nearly 350 tonnes of CO2 emissions across the entire A321LR fleet.

The A321LRs have a number of features that will improve the customer experience, in addition to being 15% more fuel-efficient:

Seats are wider than those on the previous Jetstar A320/21 aircraft.
40 percent greater storage capacity in extra-large overhead bins
Engines that are up to 50% quieter
In-seat USB power and flip-down smartphone and tablet cradles

Eight more A321LRs will be delivered between August 2022 and May 2023, bringing the total number of A321LRs delivered to 18 by mid-2024.

Between 2024 and 2029, another 20 A321XLR aircraft will arrive, extending the range of narrowbody flights even more.

The Next-Gen Airbus A321

The Airbus A321LR is the next version of the A321 twin-engine jet, which is already a global success. The 'neo' stands for 'new engine option,' alluding to the aircraft's quieter, more fuel-efficient CFM LEAP engines, which lower fuel usage by at least 15% while reducing aircraft noise by 50%.

40% additional storage space is provided by extra-large overhead bins. The A321LR will also have a longer range than the present A320/321 fleet, with a range of 1,200 kilometers.

Jetstar will initially use the A321LR on domestic routes such as Melbourne to Cairns and Gold Coast. As our foreign operation grows, the airline will consider flying international routes.

Comments from JetStar CEO

Jetstar Group CEO Gareth Evans said the arrival of the NEO fleet was one of the most significant milestones in the airline’s 18-year history.

“These modern aircraft are world-class in terms of performance, comfort, and sustainability, ensuring our customers will enjoy a new range of benefits on board.
“With the NEOs arriving in our 18th birthday year, their arrival symbolises how we’ve grown to become the largest and most successful low-cost carrier in the Asia Pacific region.

Evans added, “In addition to flying on our most popular domestic routes, the long-range NEOs open up new international opportunities, providing us with an opportunity to expand our international network and deliver on our promise to offer more low fares to more destinations.”

The Australian low-cost airline is headquartered in Melbourne and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas (QF), created in response to the threat posed by airline Virgin Blue.

Featured image: JetStar