Qantas Adds Seven New Routes as Demand Surges

Qantas has added seven new domestic airlines between major capital cities (Supplied)

Qantas predicts that its capacity will exceed 100 percent of pre-COVID levels in the coming months after adding seven new routes between major capital cities as domestic demand increases following the pandemic slump.

Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David said the new routes would help support the growing demand for domestic tourism.

“As most international travel remains off limits for now, Australians are taking more regular holidays within the country and we expect these new direct flights to key tourism destinations will be popular with travellers,” David said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Our customers now have 45 more routes to fly than we had pre-COVID making it even easier for them to get to their next holiday or business meeting.

“Previously, travelling between these cities meant a connecting flight in the middle, but now they can fly direct and save at least an hour in the process.”

Passengers will also be able to fly on more widebody aircraft, usually only available on international long haul flights, between major cities, with the option of business suite between east coast capital cities and Perth and Darwin.

The Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which used to fly international routes to and from Asia, will operate on more routes from Sydney and Brisbane into Darwin, as well as from Sydney and Melbourne into Perth.

Meanwhile, Embraer E190 regional jets, in partnership with Alliance Airlines, will service five of the new routes.

A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from Qantas Air Lines is seen on the tarmac of LAX Los Angeles airport on May 11, 2019. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

The airline’s 236-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which is usually used for long haul international flights like Perth-London, will be operating nine flights from Sydney to Perth per week.

“We know how popular the 787s and A330s are with our customers on our international network,” David said.

“Our strategy of adding new domestic routes is generating revenue from our aircraft rather than leaving them on the ground. It means more work for our people and even more low fares for our customers,” he said.

“We think there will be huge demand for the domestic flights these aircraft operate on, particularly frequent flyers looking to use points.”

Fares of the airlines are available from Tuesday, with special fares available before midnight May 27.

The following are some of the new routes added:

• Adelaide to Townsville
• Adelaide to Cairns
• Adelaide to Hobart
• Sydney to Townsville
• Melbourne to Townsville
• Perth to Gold Coast
• Sydney to Uluru

For more information on routes and special offers, visit Qantas.