(28 Mar 2022, 12:04 +07)
Qantas has unveiled plans to launch flights
between Melbourne and Dallas
Fort Worth, while also significantly increasing flights to Los Angeles.
From 2 December 2022, the national carrier will operate four
weekly return flights between Melbourne and major US hub, Dallas
Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), using Boeing 787 aircraft.
The flights will be the first direct service by any
airline between the two cities, and follows the success of Qantas’
longstanding Sydney-Dallas Fort Worth route.
Dallas Fort
Worth is home to Qantas’ partner American Airlines, providing
seamless connections between Australia and over 200 cities across
the US, Canada, Mexico and South America.
Qantas is also adding four more return
flights per week between Melbourne and Los Angeles, up from four
currently. The additional
flights are operating from this week.
Qantas Boeing 787-9
The airline’s
refurbished A380s will resume operating some of these flights to
LA from December, marking the return of Qantas’ superjumbo and
reintroduction of First Class to Melbourne.
The aircraft
have a reconfigured Business cabin, with 70 updated suites, an
extended Premium Economy section with 60 seats (up from 35) as well
as refreshed Economy and First cabins.
The upper deck lounge (open
to Business and First passengers) has been expanded and upgraded
with booth style seating for 10 people, a self-service bar and an
option to order signature drinks and snacks. Thirty Economy seats
have been removed to make room for more premium seating.
“We are seeing
really strong demand from Melburnians wanting to travel overseas
for a holiday or business trip after two years at home, while
inbound tourism is starting to pick up,” said Qantas Group Chief
Customer Officer, Stephanie Tully. “Flights to the United
States are particularly strong with Los Angeles bookings now
exceeding pre-COVID levels ... We
know large numbers of customers have been travelling between
Melbourne and Dallas Fort Worth via our existing Sydney service,
which gives us great confidence about how this route will perform
when flights start.”
The Qantas Melbourne International Business Lounge
today welcomed its first visitors since the start of pandemic,
with customers flying to Delhi this morning the first to
reacquaint themselves with the lounge.
The Melbourne First
Lounge, which operated as a hybrid First/Business Lounge during
the pandemic, has reverted to the full premium offering.
See also:
Exclusive Travel Industry Interview with Kurt Ekert, President of
Sabre.
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