The first plane will be with Qantas by the end of this year.
With 78 seats each, the Q400s joining the Qantas fleet will have either 28 or 42 more seats than the two other aircraft models they replace. The Q400s are also 30 per cent faster than those they will replace, meaning passengers will reach their destinations more quickly.
The Q400 also produce fewer carbon emissions per passenger than one of the two types of aircraft they will replace.
Overall the mid-life Q400s are a decade younger on average compared to the aircraft they replace.
“QantasLink turboprops carry more than 3.5 million customers to more than 50 destinations around regional Australia every year, and these next-generation aircraft allow us to improve the travel experience with a faster and more comfortable experience,” said Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson.
“By consolidating our turboprops into a single fleet type, we’ll be able to further improve our reliability and provide a better recovery for our customers during disruptions as well as reducing complexity and cost for our operation.
“We know sustainable travel is important for our customers. These additional Q400s allow us to provide certainty to the regions over the next decade while we work with aircraft manufacturers and other suppliers on electric or battery powered aircraft that are the right size and range for our network.”
Larger and faster planes to regional Australia may also help destinations beyond Australia’s major cities win more conference and meetings business.
