First look: inside Qantas’ upgraded A330s

Qantas is giving its international Airbus A330 fleet a multi-million dollar make-over – but while passengers at the pointy end usually get the perks, this time around it’s economy class flyers who will feel the love.

Ten of the Qantas A330s which are seen on key routes into Asia – such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo – are being upgraded with all-new economy seats.

Qantas' new A330 economy class seats.

Key features include a 13.3" 4K video screen – 20% larger than the current A330 economy screen – with Bluetooth audio streaming direct to a passenger’s own headphones or earbuds, including of course noise-cancelling models which can shut out the thrum of the engines and general cabin noise.

Each seat will also come with a high-power USB-C port capable of fast-charging phones and tablets, plus a fold-down device holder for tablets and smartphones.

Qantas' new A330 economy class seats.

These are in fact the same ‘next generation’ seats that will feature on the Qantas A350s – including those ambitious non-stop Project Sunrise flights to London and New York.

So the seats are definitely built for comfort, with sculpted side-bolsters, lumbar support for the lower back, a six-way adjustable headrest and additional space from your knee to the seat in front.

Qantas' new A330 economy class seats.

Meanwhile, at the front of the A330 – well, nothing changes.

Passengers will find the same business class seats that debuted in 2014, which lack those modern economy-bound niceties such as the USB-C and Bluetooth audio streaming.

Qantas' classic A330 Business Suites.

All the same, these spacious Business Suites – an evolved version of which appears on the Boeing 787 and upgraded Airbus A380s – remain comfortable in their own right and highly competitive on Australia’s transcontinental east-west routes, since Virgin Australia axed its own A330 jets.

Qantas' classic A330 Business Suites.

Other key elements of the A330 cabin upgrade program include new mood lighting and the replacement of all curtains and carpets.

“We’ve used our fleet renewal program to completely rethink the inflight experience and these cabin upgrades mean we can bring next-generation features and designs to our existing aircraft,” says Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace.

“Customers can look forward to brand new economy seats that have been specially created to maximise comfort and provide features that our customers want for international travel.”

Work on the first A330 is expected to start in mid-2025 in Qantas’ Brisbane maintenance facility, with the first refurbished aircraft taking wing by the end of the calendar year. The refurbishment program is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

WiFi on the way...

Qantas has also started adding its fast and free satellite WiFi to the international A330s, with the service expected to be available on selected Qantas A330 flights between Australia and Asia from December this year.

As previously reported, two dozen Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 jets will eventually replace the ageing twin-aisle domestic and international Airbus A330s beginning in 2027-2028.

However, with those deliveries taking place “over a decade or more,” acccording to the airline, some red-tailed A330s – including these upgraded ones – will still be carrying passengers well into the 2030’s.

Executive Traveller understands the A350s and 787s will be fitted with the same seats as their red-tailed siblings – which for the A350s means the private business class suites and premium economy recliners of the long-legged Project Sunrise A350s jets, but without first class or the ‘wellbeing zone’.

A largely identical configuration will add consistency on international flights while also providing the flexibility for some of these A330 replacements – particular the Boeing 787 – to be swung onto longer-range routes as needed.

Also read: How the A350 will become Qantas’ new flagship