Qantas Tests A321XLR’s Limits with Historic Nonstop Flight to Bangkok

Qantas is turning an aircraft delivery into a marketing moment for the Airbus A321XLR. While the record-setting flight grabs headlines, the bigger story is how single-aisle jets are reshaping long-haul route planning.

Flight QF6041 isn’t your regular Monday morning departure from Hamburg. As of 2 p.m. CET (8 a.m. ET), the aircraft is flying over Turkmenistan, and on course to make aviation history.

Qantas being the operator of the new plane is a big clue about Monday’s mission. The Australian flag carrier took delivery of the jet last week, and is now flying the plane back to the airline’s HQ.

The distance from the Airbus factory in Hamburg to Sydney is more than 9,000 nautical miles. A regular delivery flight for a single-aisle aircraft would typically include between two and four refuelling and crew-rest stops en route. But QF6041 is no ordinary aircraft.

Qantas is accepting its first Airbus A321XLR – that’s Xtra Long Range – and it plans to showcase its performance on the delivery flight Down Under.

The aircraft is due to fly from Hamburg to Bangkok nonstop. If realized, this will be the l