After a three-year interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Qantas resumes its flights between Sydney and New York/JFK on Wednesday 13 morning (Sydney local time, GMT+10). Instead of following the traditional route via Los Angeles, the Australian airline will now operate this route through Auckland, New Zealand.
Flight QF3 will initially operate three times a week with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which can carry 236 passengers (42 in Business suites, 28 in Premium Economy, and 166 in Economy). From October, a fourth weekly flight will be added, increasing the total capacity of the route to more than 1,800 seats per week.
The flight time between Sydney and Auckland is estimated at 3 hours 5 minutes, and between the latter city and New York is 16 hours 15 minutes, covering a total of 16,371 kilometers.
Alan Joyce, CEO of the Qantas Group, said that the demand for flights to New York had been strong since international borders reopened. Furthermore, Joyce stated that the introduction of new 787 aircraft in recent weeks made the relaunch possible.
Qantas’s international capacity has increased from last year, moving from 45% to 85% of its pre-COVID levels. According to the company, it expects the international network to return to full capacity by March 2024.
In addition to its relevance for travelers, the resumption of the route could also have a positive impact on Australian tourism. The flights offer a way for more visitors from the United States to explore Australia.
The new itinerary of the route, with a stopover in Auckland, also provides travelers from Australia with greater accessibility to New York with the option of 11 daily flights across the Tasman Sea to connect to the New York service.
To celebrate the restart of the route, Qantas has introduced several initiatives on board, which include limited edition pyjamas and amenity kits for Business Class passengers, as well as New York-inspired menus.
In addition, Qantas plans to remodel its Auckland International Lounge as part of a $100 million investment in the improvement of its lounges. According to the company, the new lounge will offer more space and will feature local design, food, and wine when it opens in 2024.
The resumption of flights between Sydney and New York is a significant milestone in the recovery of the global airline industry from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Qantas highlights that it currently operates three of the world’s five longest non-stop routes, including Perth-London and Dallas-Melbourne.
