Qantas’ big weekend: All the route changes explained
The Sydney-Singapore-London Kangaroo route is officially back in business, plus Perth-London direct is kicking off.
This Sunday will see a major switch to Qantas' international routes. After five years in which its partnership with Emirates meant that flights from Sydney to London went through Dubai, from 25 March they will again be going through Singapore. And can I just say: woo-hoo!
Qantas actually announced this change last year (the only thing that moves really quickly in the airline industry is the planes). As I explained at the time, as a veteran of that route it's a welcome switch because it's much easier to get a proper night's sleep and a fully functioning day in London when flying via Singapore.
The importance of the Sydney to London route is underscored by the flight numbers Qantas has long assigned to it: QF1 and QF2. But the return to Singapore comes at a time when Qantas is also making other dramatic changes to its London routes.
The biggest of these is the introduction of direct Perth to London services, which also kick off this weekend (on Saturday in this case). Again, this has been a long time coming, with the plans originally announced back in December 2016 and tickets going on sale almost a year ago. Qantas has even developed a special menu to help passengers function better during 17 hours in the air.
The Perth routing will also become the main choice for anyone travelling from Melbourne to London, with passengers flying to Perth either on QF9 itself or on a regular domestic service. You will also be able to fly from Melbourne to London through Singapore using Qantas, but you'll have to take a separate flight there (QF35 or QF37 on the way up, QF36 or QF38 returning) and then join QF1. You could also fly to Sydney and join QF1 from the start but that adds another stop.
All this doesn't mean that Qantas is abandoning its partnership with Emirates. Indeed, it has just received regulatory blessing to continue it for another five years. But it does mean a lot fewer Qantas passengers will be passing through Dubai, and those that do won't be flying on Qantas metal.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on finder.com.au.
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Picture: Qantas/James Morgan
