Qantas Boosts International Capacity with Over 250,000 Additional Seats as Aircraft Return

Qantas, Australia’s national carrier, is continuing to ramp up its international capacity by adding more than 250,000 seats to its network. This expansion comes as additional aircraft rejoin the airline’s fleet, enabling Qantas to meet growing travel demand. The increased capacity will primarily affect routes to popular destinations such as New York, Los Angeles, Johannesburg, and Bali.

Currently operating at around 80 percent of its pre-COVID international capacity levels, the Qantas Group plans to reach 100 percent by March 2024. With further aircraft returning, this capacity is set to surpass pre-pandemic levels from July 2024 onwards.

Key highlights of the capacity increase include:

• Sydney-Bali: Starting October, larger Airbus A330 aircraft will replace daily Boeing 737 flights, featuring more premium seats and fully-flat beds in Business Class.
• Sydney-Auckland-New York: Flights will increase from four to daily from August 2024, following the successful launch of this new route in June.
• Sydney-Johannesburg: Qantas A380s will operate to South Africa for the first time from July 2024, nearly doubling capacity during peak periods.
• Melbourne-Los Angeles: Capacity will rise by around 20 percent with additional A380 flights on this route from July 2024.
• Sydney-Los Angeles: The route will see an increase from eight to nine weekly flights from July 2024, utilizing a mix of 787 and A380 aircraft.

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace highlighted the positive impact of this expansion on international travel demand and the tourism industry. He emphasized that the increased capacity is made possible by the return of the final two A380s to the Qantas fleet, following extensive maintenance and cabin improvements.

This announcement follows Qantas’ previous commitment to add one million seats to its network within the next year. The airline’s strategy includes introducing new routes, operating larger aircraft, and increasing flight frequencies to popular destinations. Notably, Qantas customers can use COVID credits for bookings, with extended travel expiry dates providing more flexibility.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, asianaviation.com