Qantas resumed flights to New York, with services from Sydney taking off to the Big Apple for the first time in more than three years.
The launch of QF3 also marks a new route for the national carrier with flights to New York operating via Auckland instead of Los Angeles. Flights will initially operate three days per week with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, increasing to four from October, offering more than 1,800 seats on the route each week.
Travelling on the inaugural flight, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the airline was thrilled to be carrying Australians to New York once again.
The Qantas Group is expected to return to around 100 per cent of its international network pre-COVID capacity by March 2024, up from around 85 per cent of pre-COVID levels today. This is a significant increase from just 45 per cent 12 months ago.
Qantas now operates three of the top five longest flights in the world, including Perth-London and Dallas-Melbourne, as it increases its focus on direct routes that are also among its most popular. The airline’s Perth-London service has the highest customer satisfaction rating on its international network.
Fast Facts:
SYD-AKL Flight Time: 3 hours 5 mins
AKL-JFK Flight Time: 16 hours 15 mins
SYD-AKL-JFK Travel distance: 16,371 kilometres
Qantas’ Dreamliner carries 236 passengers across Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins in a layout that has been designed to maximise comfort for the longer distances.
- 42 Business suites in a 1-2-1 configuration with a fully-flat bed and direct aisle access
- 28 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 configuration
- 166 Economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration
