Qantas is making strategic updates to its Asia network, introducing new routes and enhancing existing ones. This comprehensive reshaping aims to better meet customer demand and boost connectivity across the region. This includes suspending the Sydney-Shanghai service, launching a new Brisbane-Manila route, and adding additional flights to Singapore and India.

Suspension of Sydney-Shanghai Flights

Effective from July 28, 2024, Qantas will suspend its Sydney-Shanghai flights. This decision comes in response to sustained low demand for the route despite its resumption last October after a COVID-induced hiatus. Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace explained, “Since COVID, the demand for travel between Australia and China has not recovered as strongly as expected. Our flights to and from Shanghai have been around half full in some months.”

Qantas remains committed to the Australia-China market and plans to reintroduce the Sydney-Shanghai route once demand recovers. In the meantime, passengers can travel to Shanghai via Qantas flights to Hong Kong, with onward connections through partner airlines. Qantas Frequent Flyers can also earn and redeem points on these partner flights. Affected customers will be contacted and offered a full refund or assistance with rebooking alternative flights.

New Route from Brisbane to Manila

Starting October 28, 2024, Qantas will launch a new international route from Brisbane to Manila. This service will operate four times a week using Airbus A330 aircraft, marking Qantas’s return to this route after more than a decade. This new route complements the daily Sydney-Manila service, adding over 100,000 seats annually between Australia and the Philippines.

Cam Wallace stated, “We’re always looking to ensure that we have the right aircraft, on the right routes, and at the right time of year to best meet the needs of our customers. The new Brisbane-Manila route is a testament to our commitment to providing more choices for our corporate and leisure customers.”

Additional Flights to Singapore and India

In response to rising demand, Qantas is also increasing its flight frequencies to Singapore and India. From December 11, 2024, the Sydney-Singapore route will expand from 14 to 17 return flights per week, offering an additional 2,500 seats per week. Similarly, the Brisbane-Singapore route will increase from seven to nine weekly return flights starting October 27, 2024. This schedule adjustment is designed to enhance connectivity with Qantas’s daily service from Singapore to London, thereby reducing travel time to Heathrow by approximately four hours.

To cater to strong demand during the peak holiday season, Qantas will also boost its Sydney-Bengaluru flights from five times a week to daily service between mid-December 2024 and late March 2025. This temporary increase will add over 12,000 seats between the two cities during this period.

Tickets for the additional flights are available for sale at Qantas and through travel agents. Bookings for the new Brisbane-Manila route will open in the coming days.

Strategic Decisions for Enhanced Connectivity

Qantas’s strategic adjustments reflect its ongoing commitment to optimizing its network and meeting travellers’ evolving needs. By redirecting resources from underperforming routes to high-demand destinations, Qantas aims to enhance customer satisfaction and maintain operational efficiency.

Cam Wallace emphasized, “We’re making these changes to ensure that we have the right aircraft, on the right routes, and at the right time of year to best meet the needs of our customers. This approach allows us to offer more choice and better connectivity for both our corporate and leisure travelers.”

As the airline industry continues to recover and evolve post-COVID, Qantas’s proactive measures demonstrate its dedication to remaining agile and responsive to market demands. The suspension of the Sydney-Shanghai route, the introduction of the Brisbane-Manila service, and the increase in flights to Singapore and Bengaluru highlight Qantas’s strategic focus on strengthening its presence in key Asian markets.

For more information and to book flights, visit Qantas.com.

Written by: Michelle Warner

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