QANTAS Airways has taken off between Melbourne and Hong Kong, today resuming direct flights between the two cities.
QF29’s take-off from the Victorian capital re-establishes Qantas’ direct connection between the state and Hong Kong, after a three-year pandemic-induced pause.
Qantas is initially flying three services per week, before it increases top four from mid-next month, and daily from October.
The flights will boost inbound tourism, making it easier for travellers from Hong Kong to explore Victoria, while also offering unrivalled connectivity on Qantas’ domestic network to travel across Australia.
Bookings on the Melbourne-Hong Kong services are performing well, both inbound and outbound, particularly around the upcoming winter school holiday period.
The resumption of the route comes as Qantas continues to restore international capacity with extra flights, with more aircraft and new routes in line with strong travel demand.
Qantas Group is expected to return from around 85% of its international pre-COVID capacity today to around 100% by March 2024.
“Hong Kong has traditionally been one of our most popular destinations and we’re really pleased to be flying there direct from Melbourne once again,” Chief Executive Officer International Cameron Wallace said.
“As well as providing a convenient service to Victorian-based business travellers and holiday makers, the flights will also help entice more tourists to Victoria to experience some of Australia’s best wine regions and Melbourne’s popular dining culture.”
“We are continuing to expand our international network out of Victoria to support customer demand and this launch comes just in time for the winter holiday period, making it easy for Victorians to escape to Hong Kong for a short break.”
Meanwhile, Qantas has ordered nine Airbus A220-300s, the company said at the Paris Air Show.
The pair finalised an incremental order for the aircraft, with Qantas in February saying it planned to order additional A220s.
