The carriers will make changes to their alliance to "reflect customer demand, new aircraft technology and each airline's respective network strengths". Adjustments will also "deliver financial upside to both airlines", with Qantas estimating its own net benefit at more than AUD80 million (USD63.3 million) from FY2019 onwards.
Access to Asia will be improved
The new Singapore hub operation is designed to give Qantas an improved springboard into fast growing Asian markets, as well as providing the familiar QF1 service to London over the point it has traditionally used.
According to Qantas, the bulk of passengers using the Qantas A380 over Dubai have been destined for London, most other passengers connecting to European cities do so on Emirates. Consequently, the rerouting will involve little reallocation of their travel plans.
For those passengers not destined for Europe, Qantas will connect onwards into Asia on "its partners" and to part owned Jetstar, to reach other Asian gateways beyond.
British Airways out in the cold on Sydney
There will be no codeshare with its oneworld and historic partner British Airways on the Sydney-London route, placing added pressure on the UK carrier's service into Australia. However, Qantas will continue to codeshare with BA on the Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth routes, where BA does not fly.
Key changes include:
- Qantas to reroute daily Sydney-London A380 service via Singapore rather than Dubai, effective 25-Mar-2018, replacing one of the existing Sydney-Singapore A330 frequencies. The second daily Sydney-Singapore frequency will continue to be operated by an A330 aircraft;
- Qantas will upgauge the existing daily Melbourne-Singapore service from an A330 to an A380, also effective 25-Mar-2018. The second three times weekly A330 service will be increased to daily frequency;
- As previously announced, Qantas' existing Melbourne-Dubai-London service will be replaced with a Boeing 787-9 service flying Melbourne-Perth-London;
- Emirates to continue serving Australia-Dubai with 77 weekly frequencies from five cities - Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney - including seven daily A380 frequencies;
- Qantas passengers remain able to fly on Emirates aircraft to Dubai, and will have a choice of three hub options - Dubai, Perth and Singapore - between Australia and the UK and Europe. [more - original PR]