Qantas to scrap iconic jumbos by 2020, with more Dreamliners on the way

Once the backbone of the air travel industry, Qantas has announced that it will soon be retiring its entire fleet of jumbos to make room for the Dreamliner.

They've officially put in their order for six shiny new Boeing 787-9s to fill out their international network, a move that will bring their Dreamliner fleet to a total of 14 by the end of 2020.

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Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the decision really marked "the end of one era and the start of another", when he spoke at the Qantas Group Trading Update.

"The jumbo has been the backbone of Qantas International for more than 40 years and we've flown almost every type that Boeing built. It's fitting that its retirement is going to coincide with our centenary in 2020," Mr Joyce said.

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"Over the years, each new version of the 747 allowed Qantas to fly further and improve what we offered passengers. The Dreamliners are now doing the same thing."

The announcement comes off the back of plans to launch 20-hours flights by 2022, and to 're-imagine the whole travel experience' with new sleeping berths in cargo decks.

In saying that, the additional Dreamliners are set to be modelled on the existing aircraft, carrying less passengers but with a focus on more Business and Premium Economy seating – so no sleeping pods in the works, as yet

But with a new fleet comes new opportunities, according to Joyce.

"The 787 has better economics and a longer range, and its already opened up new routes like Perth to London. With a larger fleet of Dreamliners, we'll be looking at destinations in the Americas, Asia, South Africa and Europe.

"By the end of 2020 we'll have farewelled the 747, finished upgrading the cabins of our A380s, and welcomed our fourteenth 787. That’s a great proposition for our customers and creates some really exciting opportunities for our people," added Mr Joyce.

The airline have also announced that they'll be launching a brand new training school in 2019, the Qantas Group Pilot Academy, and investing heavily in training simulators to get pilots up to scratch on the new aircraft.

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There are currently 10 747-400 jumbos in the fleet, and these will be gradually scrapped between July and the end of 2020.

The Dreamliner recently made history by completing the first ever non-stop commercial flight from Australia to the UK, on the airline's brand new Perth to London route.