Australia’s national carrier is currently operating at around 80 per cent of the its pre-pandemic capacity, and is still reintroducing aircraft that were grounded during the pandemic.
Key international routes for the business events market set to have greater capacity include routes between Australia and the USA and Australia and South Africa.
From July 2024, Qantas will increase seats between Melbourne and Los Angeles by about 20 per cent by operating more super jumbo A380s on this route. The Sydney-Los Angeles route will also get a boost from next July, with frequency to jump from eight to nine flights per week. In August 2024, the Sydney-Auckland-New York route will go from four flights a week to daily.
Qantas will also introduce A380s on Sydney-Johannesburg flights for the first time in July 2023.
In the nearer term, the airline will operate larger aircraft on its daily Sydney to Bali route from this October, offering more premium seats, which could mean a boost in incentives and corporate meetings headed for the Indonesian destination.
The boost in flights may also contribute to cheaper flights said Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace.
“This additional capacity will put more downward pressure on fares,” he said.
“The additional capacity will largely be made possible through our final two A380s returning to the Qantas fleet following heavy maintenance and cabin improvements.”
In less happy news for the airline, it is facing a class action established by Echo Law, for the way it handled its ticketing, refund and flight credit system during the pandemic. The law firm posits that customers were entitled to a full refund but were instead offered flight credits or vouchers which expired, and which it argues were of lesser value than a cash refund.
