Qantas Unveils Ambitious Expansion Plans for its International Network in 2023
Huge Qantas International Network Expansion in 2023
Hi Readers,
Qantas today announced what they call a major upgrade to its network. Of course there’s nothing for you here if you live in Adelaide but here’s the blurb.
In a major announcement, Qantas has revealed its plans for a significant expansion of its international flying schedule starting from October 2023. With the aim of meeting the surging demand for travel, the renowned airline will increase flights to key destinations in North America, Asia, and New Zealand, while also introducing new routes to Wellington and Honiara from Brisbane. Additionally, Qantas will be resuming its highly anticipated Sydney-Shanghai service, which is among the few remaining international routes that are yet to recommence operations following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The expansion of routes and increased flight frequencies have been made possible by the addition of brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to the Qantas fleet, as well as the return of the remaining parked Airbus A380s. To further enhance capacity, Qantas has restructured its aircraft allocation by transitioning some of its New Zealand and Pacific Island flights from Airbus A330s to Boeing 737s, while also leasing two Finnair jets.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce expressed his enthusiasm for the network expansion, stating, "The rebound in demand for international travel since borders reopened has been incredibly strong and this boost to our network will add hundreds of thousands of seats in time for the busy Australian summer holiday period. While airlines globally are working to restore capacity to meet demand, there is still a mismatch between supply and demand for international flying. But with more of our aircraft back in the air, new 787s joining our fleet, and our contract with Finnair, we’ve got more seats for our customers and more opportunity for Qantas crew as we increase our own flying. We know our customers are looking for great value and this additional capacity will also put downward pressure on fares."
Here are the key highlights of the Qantas international network expansion:
New Qantas Routes from Brisbane: Commencing on October 29, 2023, Qantas will introduce daily flights between Brisbane and Wellington. These flights will be operated by Alliance Airlines Embraer E190 jets on behalf of QantasLink. The schedule for these flights is as follows:
QF355: Brisbane 08:05 - Wellington 14:40 (daily)
QF356: Wellington 15:40 - Brisbane 16:35 (daily)
Furthermore, starting on the same date, Qantas will launch three weekly E190 flights connecting Brisbane and Honiara in the Solomon Islands:
QF357: Brisbane 09:05 - Honiara 13:25 (Sundays, Mondays & Fridays)
QF358: Honiara 14:20 - Brisbane 16:30 (Sundays, Mondays & Fridays)
Qantas to Resume Sydney-Shanghai Route: After a hiatus of 3.5 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Qantas will reinstate its daily Sydney-Shanghai service from October 29, 2023. This route will be operated using Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The schedule for these flights is as follows:
QF129: Sydney 10:55 - Shanghai 18:30
QF130: Shanghai 20:05 - Sydney 09:45 (+1 day)
Additional Flights to Tokyo: Qantas will enhance its Tokyo services by introducing a second daily flight from Sydney to Haneda Airport starting from November 26, 2023. Frequencies on Melbourne and Brisbane routes to Tokyo will also be increased to daily flights, with operations shifting to Tokyo's Narita Airport. The schedule for the Sydney-Tokyo flights is as follows:
QF59: Sydney 12:20 - Tokyo (Haneda) 20:15 (Airbus A330-300)
QF25: Sydney 21:45 - Tokyo (Haneda) 05:25 (+1 day) (Boeing 787-9)
For the return flights from Tokyo to Sydney, the schedule is as follows:
QF26: Tokyo (Haneda) 07:00 - Sydney 18:50 (Boeing 787-9)
QF60: Tokyo (Haneda) 22:00 - Sydney 09:55 (+1 day) (Airbus A330-300)
It's worth noting that Qantas will retain its current schedules for Melbourne-Tokyo and Brisbane-Tokyo routes despite the airport change, ensuring a seamless travel experience for passengers.
Increased Frequencies on Other Qantas International Routes: Qantas will also boost its capacity on several existing routes to cater to growing demand. The changes include:
Melbourne-Los Angeles: The number of flights per week will increase from 7 to 9, with some flights operated by Airbus A380s instead of Boeing 787-9s.
Sydney-Auckland-New York: Flights will increase from 3 to 4 per week.
Sydney-Hong Kong: Capacity will increase as some flights transition from Airbus A330 to A380 aircraft.
Melbourne-Hong Kong: Flights will increase from 4 to 7 per week.
Melbourne-Singapore: Flights will increase from 10 to 14 per week.
Sydney-Singapore: An additional flight will be added on Fridays, with the return leg from Singapore to Sydney on Sundays.
Melbourne-Delhi: The frequency will double from 3 to 6 flights per week during the Australian summer.
Sydney-Christchurch: Flights will increase from 11 to 14 per week.
Sydney-Queenstown: There will be up to one extra flight per week during the Australian summer.
These enhancements to the Qantas international network signify the airline's commitment to meeting the growing demand for travel while providing customers with more options and flexibility. With expanded routes, increased frequencies, and the deployment of modern aircraft, Qantas aims to deliver a seamless and enjoyable travel experience for passengers across its international network.
Happy Travelling
David