Qantas will launch daily direct flights between Melbourne and Tokyo’s Narita Airport from 16th December 2016,* responding to growing demand and marking the next step in its Asian growth strategy.
The new route will be operated by an upgraded, two-class A330-300 with 297 seats – the aircraft widely seen as best in class for the business market.
It adds to Qantas’ popular Sydney-Tokyo (Haneda) and Brisbane -Tokyo (Narita) services, launched in 2015, and will connect travellers with the broader Qantas Group network – including Jetstar’s extensive domestic network within Japan and the Group’s services across the Tasman.
The number of visitors to Australia from Japan grew by 17 per cent in 2015/16 financial year, with those travellers spending $1.5 billion – up 14 per cent on the previous year.
Outbound travel by Australians to Japan is also growing rapidly, having seen a 24 per cent increase in 2015.
Qantas and Jetstar will both operate flights from Melbourne to Tokyo (Narita) during the December 2016-February 2017 holiday peak. Jetstar will then cease flights on the direct route after the 25th February, 2017.
Chief Executive Officer of Qantas International and Freight, Gareth Evans, said the new service built on Qantas’ long history of flying to Japan and significant expansion in the market over the past year.
“We’re delighted to be stepping up our commitment to the Japanese market at a boom time for tourism and business travel,”
Gareth Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Qantas International and Freight
