Perth-London service exceeds expectations in first year of operations

26 March, 2019

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce reported the following highlights from an independent analysis by Deloitte Access Economics marking the first anniversary of Qantas' nonstop Perth-London Heathrow service:

  • The service facilitated an AUD101 million (USD71.9 million) increase in spending by visitors, 92% of which was from international stop over passengers. Transit passengers at Perth Airport spent AUD2.3 million (USD1.6 million);
  • 71% of international visitors on the route chose to stop over in Perth, helping to drive more than one million visitor nights spent in Western Australia (WA);
  • Qantas recorded a 30% increase in passenger numbers between Australia and London via Perth, including a 7% increase in visitors from the UK travelling to Perth;
  • Australian residents made up just under 60% of passengers on Perth-London sector. UK residents made up the majority of foreign passengers at 31%;
  • Average outbound passengers comprised 25% from Melbourne, 7% from Sydney, 6% from Brisbane and 4% from Adelaide;
  • Out of 720 planned services only four were cancelled, resulting in a reliability rating of 99.5%;
  • The service directly and indirectly supported the creation of 601 full time equivalent jobs, particularly in the tourism and hospitality sector;
  • The service generated more than AUD100 million (USD71.2 million) in "free publicity" due to global interest, including exposure for WA as a destination.

Mr Joyce said the service exceeded expectations and commented: "A year of operating this route shows that a hub in WA connecting Australia to the world works really well... Almost every flight is full and it turned a profit almost immediately".