Which ultra-long-haul route will Qantas fly the Dreamliner on next? Will it be Sydney to London? Sydney to Rio de Janeiro? Sydney to New York? Brisbane to Seattle? Brisbane to Chicago? Perth to Paris?
There are so many guesses going around for Qantas’ next non-stop service, but we can finally confirm one is unlikely to happen soon…
Perth-Johannesburg.
The Flying Kangaroo has apparently taken seasonal Perth to Johannesburg services starting in November off the table and it’s all thanks to a terminal dispute.
According to Perth Now, Qantas wants to operate Johannesburg flights and other potential ultra-long-haul services from Perth Airport’s new international Terminal 3 because it’s better equipped to handle transit passengers.
However, a Perth Airport Spokesperson said the gateway wants the Flying Kangaroo to use Terminal 1 because “splitting international flights across two separate and distant terminals requires significant ongoing subsidy to offset the additional costs”.
“[We are] committed to working constructively with all of our airline customers to deliver a more efficient and cost-effective airport to help them serve their customers and build their businesses.”
Perth Airport Spokesperson
As a result, Qantas’ Chief Executive, Alan Joyce, has pulled Johannesburg plans and put a plug on potential non-stop flights to Paris and Frankfurt until the “situation” is resolved.
Joyce is hoping to meet with the gateway’s new Chairman, Neville Power, and “resolve the situation for the long term”.
We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
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