QANTAS has announced the addition of 250,000 international seats, which is expected to boost the carrier from its current 80% of pre-COVID capacity to beyond 100% in July 2024.
The extra seats are made possible by the return of three long-awaited Boeing 787s to the carrier’s fleet, as well as the return of the final two A380s following post-storage maintenance.
The expanded capacity will be available on flights from Sydney to Bali, Johannesburg and Los Angeles; Melbourne to Los Angeles; and Sydney to New York via Auckland.
The Sydney-Bali route will be served by the larger A330 aircraft, replacing Boeing 737 flights from October 2023, while flights on the Sydney-Auckland-New York route will increase from four per week to daily from August 2024.
For the first time, Qantas will deploy A380s to South Africa from July 2024, which will see capacity nearly doubled during peak periods on the Sydney-Johannesburg route.
Twenty percent more seats will be available on the Melbourne-Los Angeles service, thanks to more A380 flights from July 2024, while at the same time, Sydney flights to the City of Angels will increase from eight to nine per week using a mix of 787 and A380 aircraft.
“We know our customers are looking for great value and this additional capacity will put more downward pressure on fares,” Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace commented.
Tickets for the new flights will be available to purchase from 22 August through to the end of Aug 2024 at qantas.com and via travel agents.
