Qantas plans ‘major cabin overhaul’ for Boeing 737 fleet

The backbone of Qantas’ domestic fleet is set for a significant upgrade, with the carrier revealing plans for a ‘major cabin overhaul’ to its Boeing 737s. Previously, Qantas advised that the 737s would simply be replaced by the incoming Airbus A321XLRs. But now, it seems these workhorse jets will stick around for years to come.

Eventually, all Boeing 737s will still be phased out in favour of the Airbus A321XLR. But ‘there are some young 737s’ among the fleet, says Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson. Speaking to media today while presenting the Qantas Group’s half-year financial results, Hudson says she wants the remaining 737s to ‘feel like new’.

‘New seats, new interior, and most importantly, bigger overhead bins,’ are central to the cabin upgrades. Here’s what we know so far.

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Timeline of Qantas’ Boeing 737 cabin refits

Qantas currently plans to begin its Boeing 737 cabin refurbishments in 2026. That’s with a view to having the first refitted aircraft flying in 2027. The schedule underlines Qantas’ ambitions to fly the Boeing 737 alongside the A321XLR for years to come, given the A321XLR enters the Qantas fleet later this year.

‘The first Qantas A321XLR will arrive in June and that will restart the replacement of our 737 fleet,’ Hudson says of Qantas’ longer-term goal. ‘But we have 75 737s,’ she elaborates, while Qantas has so far only signed committed orders for 28 Airbus A321XLRs. Meanwhile, Qantas confirms that 42 of those 75 Boeing 737 jets will be upgraded as part of this overhaul.

‘We acquired these 737s over almost a decade,’ Hudson continues. ‘So the average life is really variable. But for the younger aircraft, (it’ll) be through to the end of what would be their normal life … this cabin refurbishment.’

Currently, Qantas’ Boeing 737 fleet primarily operates across Australia on domestic flights. The jets also appear to places like Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand and Vanuatu. But the A321XLR has the legs to fly as far as India – an ambition the airline shared again today. Clearly, with plans to use the planes on long, thin routes, Qantas will need far more if it’s going to fully replace the Boeing 737 fleet. And even more if those long-haul international plans remain.

What will Qantas’ refreshed Boeing 737s look like?

Qantas is prioritising consistency with its cabin interiors. Rather than having a different look and feel between aircraft types, the airline wants the passenger experience to feel as similar as possible, regardless of which plane turns up at the gate. ‘We want our customers to feel, when they step on the XLR or they step on a 737, it feels the same,’ adds Hudson.

With that in mind, seating on the refitted Boeing 737s will largely mirror that of the A321XLRs. In turn, the incoming A321XLR seats take a page from those already flying on QantasLink’s new Airbus A220s. ‘It’ll be like new,’ Hudson says.

Highlights include a fresh seat design with USB charging and a more usable tablet holder. Qantas will also upgrade the overhead lockets on the Boeing 737 to provide more space for cabin bags. This will help improve boarding times, which the airline says have already improved by three minutes per Boeing 737 flight following the introduction of group boarding.

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Six-way headrests also allow for adjustments in height, side wings and overall tilt.

Qantas’ new Boeing 737 Business Class will mirror the Airbus A321XLR.

The Business cabin will retain the familiar 2-2 layout.

Even on longer flights such as Sydney-Perth, the Boeing 737 will still sport reclining seats rather than beds in Business.

Economy also gets a refresh on the upgraded Boeing 737s.

The tablet holders in the upgraded seats will make it easier to use larger devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro.

Six-way headrests also allow for adjustments in height, side wings and overall tilt.

Qantas’ new Boeing 737 Business Class will mirror the Airbus A321XLR.

The refreshed Boeing 737s will also feature ‘ambient LED lighting for a more enjoyable flight’. It’s not yet clear whether Qantas intends for this to be a further upgrade for the aircraft already fitted with the Boeing Sky Interior and coloured lighting.

The news comes as the Australian Government grants formal approval for Qatar Airways to take a 25% minority stake in Virgin Australia.

Also read: Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways stake cleared for take-off

Imagery courtesy of Qantas.