Qantas will install split scimitar winglets on 23 of its Boeing 737-800s, as part of efforts to improve fuel efficiency and lower its emissions.
The Australian operator on 6 February said installation work is taking place at its MRO facility in Brisbane, and will continue through 2026.
The 23 737s with the new winglets will deployed on a mix of international routes – such as Bali and Fiji – as well as to domestic points. According to Cirium fleets data, the Oneworld carrier has 75 in-service 737s.
Qantas states that the new winglets will improve the fuel efficiency of each aircraft by up to 2%, and will cut over 8,000t in carbon emissions once all 23 aircraft have been retrofitted.
Andrew Parker, the airline’s sustainability chief, says the airline is still “focused on improving the operational efficiency of our current fleet”, even as it takes delivery of newer fuel-efficient jets.
He adds: “The new winglets are one of the many changes, small and large, that customers will notice as we transform our operations to be more sustainable.”
The 737 fleet will eventually be replaced over the next decade by Airbus A321XLRs and A220s. Qantas says the 23 737s with split scimitar winglets will be the last examples to be retired from its fleet.
