Qantas has announced that it will launch new flights to Johannesburg and Jakarta from Perth. The routes are the latest of eight new international services the airline has announced since Australia’s international borders re-opened in November 2021.
Perth to Johannesburg
Starting 1st November 2022, Qantas will operate 3-flights-a-week between Perth Airport and Johannesburg’s O. R. Tambo International Airport with the following schedule:
- Perth-Johannesburg
- Departure time: 15:00
- Arrival time: 20:15
- Flight time: 11 hours and 15 minutes
- Flight number: QF65
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
- Perth-Johannesburg
- Departure time: 22:00
- Arrival time: 13:55 (the next day)
- Flight time: 9 hours and 55 minutes
- Flight number: QF66
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
These flights will be operated by Airbus A330-200 aircraft featuring Business Class and Economy Class seats.
The flights will cut more than 6 hours from the fastest current travel time. Presently, travellers heading to Johannesburg from Perth currently have to fly on Qantas via Sydney, or via the Middle East.
With a large South African community in Perth, the flights are expected to be popular with people visiting family and friends as well as business and leisure travellers. The route will also offer convenient one-stop connections for people travelling to and from other Australian cities.
Presently, Qantas operates 4-weekly flights to Johannesburg from Sydney on its Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and the airline says that they have seen strong bookings since they recommenced in January. And from 30th October 2022, the Johannesburg-Sydney flight will operate daily.
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Perth to Jakarta
As of 30th November 2022, Qantas will once again connect Perth with Jakarta. The 3-weekly flights will be operated by Boeing B737-800 aircraft with the following schedule:
- Perth-Jakarta
- Departure time: 19:05
- Arrival time: 22:35
- Flight time: 4 hours and 30 minutes
- Flight number: QF53
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Jakarta-Perth
- Departure time: 23:55
- Arrival time: 05:10 (the next day)
- Flight time: 4 hours and 15 minutes
- Flight number: QF54
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
It is the first time that Qantas has operated the route which will support the growing trade and tourism links between Australia and Indonesia. The airline says that the route is also expected to be popular with travellers connecting to other major Indonesian cities such as Surabaya and Medan.
Alan Joyce, CEO, Qantas Group, said:
Western Australia has become an increasingly important part of our international network and we’re really excited to be launching two more routes from Perth. International travel demand continues to rebound as people make up for two years of closed borders. Our direct flights from Perth to London and Rome are selling really strongly, which gives us the confidence to add new routes from our western hub. Indonesia is a rapidly growing economy that’s home to more than 270 million people and these new flights will open up more trade and investment opportunities and a new gateway for travellers looking to explore Indonesia. There’s a big South African population that lives in Western Australia and this will be great for people travelling in both directions to see family and friends. It will also help support the economic ties between Australia and South Africa.
Both routes are being supported by the Western Australian Government’s Reconnect WA package and Qantas says that it will work with Tourism Western Australia (WA) to boost inbound tourism from both South Africa and Indonesia into Perth and regional WA, and with the cooperation of Perth Airport.
The addition of Johannesburg and Jakarta will mean Qantas will operate international flights from Perth to 5 destinations including London, Rome, and Singapore.
Meanwhile, Qantas recently confirmed a Airbus order of A350-1000s, A321XLRs and A220-300s.
Featured image by Qantas
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