By Neve Brissenden in Sydney

AUSTRALIA’S national airline is preparing to ground its regional link plane for a cleaner, younger and quieter aircraft.

Qantas will give the Boeing 717 the boot next month, replacing it with a new fleet of planes with lower emissions, longer range and less noise.

CEO Alan Joyce says it’s the “end of an era” for the 717s but the new A220s can operate double the range, opening up new routes for customers.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for our employees as well as our customers as these new aircraft create more opportunities and unlock new destinations,” he said in a statement on Monday.

“The new aircraft we’re receiving are much more capable than the aircraft they’re replacing.

“They can fly further while being much quieter and more efficient and providing a great experience for our passengers.”

Qantas has received four new planes this year and is poised to get another eight by Christmas, including its first A220.

The A220 has 25 per cent more seating, burns 28 per cent less fuel per seat and can fly double the distance of its predecessor.

The first Boeing 717 registered in Australia will complete a ceremonial final flight next month after flying around the country for 15 years.

The plane was the first to lift off with the airline’s budget subsidiary, Jetstar, flying from Melbourne to Launceston in May 2004.

The aircraft has also flown on regional and domestic routes for QantasLink for the past 15 years, completing more than 29,000 flights and carrying more than 1.6 million customers over twenty years.
Almost 300 narrow body planes are set to join the Qantas fleet in the next decade.