12 December 2012 © David Eyre
Qantas has commenced the retirement of the six former British Airways Boeing 767-336ER aircraft, powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 engines (VH-ZXA thru VH-ZXG).
On 11-12 December 2012, VH-ZXB was flown from Sydney to Honolulu, Hawaii and then Roswell, New Mexico for desert storage.
A second -336ER will be retired in January 2013, and a third by mid-2013, with the remaining three gone by the end of 2013.
Qantas has decided to standardise on its remaining General Electric CF6-powered 767-338ER aircraft, which are currently undergoing a cabin refubishment. These too will will be retired by 2015.
Jetstar is due to receive 15 Boeing 787-8 aircraft and will return a number of Airbus A330-200 aircraft to Qantas as the 787s are delivered, enabling Qantas to eventually retire more 767s.