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As Italy’s eternal city, Rome gears up for the European summer of 2024, the Australian skies are set to reconnect with the Italian horizon. The leading airline, Qantas, has announced that it will continue the increasingly popular seasonal direct flights from Perth to Rome, providing a non-stop gateway to Europe’s heartland. This marks the continuation of a route that has been a significant draw for global travellers, becoming a staple in the airline’s itinerary.

This service, facilitated by Qantas’ technologically advanced Boeing 787 Dreamliner, will operate three days per week until 3 October 2023, with around 22,000 seats available over this four-month period. The flight trajectory maintains its unique status as the only non-stop connection between Australia and continental Europe.

Qantas’ decision to continue this operation into a third year, with tickets for 2024 flights slated for release in early July, indicates the route’s growing appeal.

Cameron Wallace, CEO of Qantas International, encapsulates this sentiment: “Our Perth – Rome route was one of the most popular across our international network last year, and bookings show that it’s shaping to be that way again.” Wallace further emphasized the significance of Rome as a significant gateway to continental Europe, with top destinations including Sicily, Athens, and Barcelona.

The impact of this service extends beyond just passengers. It also significantly boosts Western Australia’s tourism operators by promoting Perth as an enticing stopover for Australians travelling to Europe from the east coast. In addition, the direct flight service addresses an emerging preference among post-COVID travellers for non-stop flights.

According to 2022 statistics, Italy was Western Australia’s 11th-largest international visitor market, a significant leap from being the 23rd-largest in 2019.

Western Australia’s Premier, Roger Cook, welcomes this development, acknowledging the obvious economic and cultural benefits for the State. He said, “Linking Perth and Rome with direct flights enables us to deliver on our strategy to diversify our economy and support jobs across a range of sectors, including tourism and hospitality.”

Qantas has added a touch of local flavour for those making the journey in the business class. In collaboration with Tourism Western Australia, Qantas will provide limited-edition amenity kits featuring the artwork of Western Australian Wongi artist Kevin Wilson.

Qantas’ return to pre-COVID destinations has been facilitated by the recent addition of new 787 aircraft. Notably, this week, the airline made a triumphant return to New York after over three years, launching inaugural flights from Sydney via Auckland, and last month saw a resumption of flights to San Francisco. Next week will witness the resumption of flights between Melbourne and Hong Kong.

Qantas projects that by March 2024, it will operate at approximately 100% of its pre-COVID international network capacity, a substantial increase from the current 85% and a massive leap from just 45% 12 months ago.

Qantas operates 15 domestic routes to, from, and within Western Australia and three international routes from Perth to Singapore, London, and Rome. The airline provides year-round daily services from London and Singapore to Perth. These key routes demonstrate the airline’s commitment to keeping the world connected while focusing on safety and comfort.

In an age where connectivity is vital, Qantas’ re-establishment of direct flights from Perth to Rome offers a straightforward path to Europe’s treasures and underscores the global drive towards a return to pre-pandemic normalcy.