Qantas has announced a boost to its international network, signalling extra flights, new routes, and more aircraft. The announcement was made in response to restoring capacity in the tourism sector, which there is currently a strong demand for.
The carrier will be adding approximately one million seats to its international programme, which will be phased in over the next twelve months, starting in October 2023. The plan is to target regional areas such as Asia and the Pacific, as well as the United States.
More Qantas aircraft being returned to service will mean a larger fleet, as well as an additional two Airbus A330 aircraft being added to the mix in partnership with Finnair.
“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,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.
“Qantas has been the most on-time major domestic airline for the past eight months in a row and that improved performance means we can release some of the aircraft we’ve had in reserve. That reflects more parts of the aviation supply chain returning to normal and it’s a huge credit to the hard work of our people across the Group.”
The new plan will see the growth of the airline on the international stage to match the operation statistics of pre-covid times. This target has been outlined as being achievable by March 2024, up from 44 percent last year, and 84 percent at present time. An additional 2,400 pilots and cabin crew have joined the airline since it re-opened after the pandemic, with a further 300 expected to join.
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 flying,” said Joyce.
“We know our customers are looking for great value and this additional capacity will also put downward pressure on fares.”
