SINGAPORE, 2 October 2024: The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) says Qatar Airways’ investment in Virgin Australia if approved, should mean more competition and connectivity for Australian passengers.

The proposed acquisition of a 25% minority stake from Bain Capital, announced Monday, is subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

If approved, it’s expected to enable the launch of flights from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to Doha, meaning more connectivity on itineraries to Europe and other key destinations from 2025.

“If approved, Virgin Australia will be able to launch new services from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to Doha, potentially creating more than 100 new connecting itineraries to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This will ultimately mean more travel options and more competition in the air, which is positive news for travellers,” ATIA acting CEO Ingrid Fraser. “We expect the planes to take to the sky from mid-2025. While the Government must carry out the necessary checks, we urge them to do so expediently to ensure that increased competition and connectivity benefits are realised as soon as possible.

She noted: “Investments like this are a strong sign of confidence in the recovery and future growth of the Australian travel sector. It’s positive that this will provide Virgin Australia with a runway towards long-term sustainable ownership and an anticipated return to public listing.”

SYDNEY, Australia, 2 October 2024: On Monday, Qantas inaugurated its Airbus A380 flights to Johannesburg, Africa, flying the route six times weekly.

The new A380 service will double seat capacity with an extra 130,000 seats between Australia and Africa annually.

The Qantas A380 has capacity for 485 passengers across four cabins, with the introduction of the Superjumbo seeing a return of First Class on the route for the first time since 2018. Qantas First features 14 individual suites arranged in an exclusive 1-1-1 configuration and convert into a 212-centimetre bed. The upgauge will also more than double the number of Premium Economy seats available between the cities.

The mega aircraft also features an upper deck lounge for passengers in First and Business, with booth-style seating for 10 people, a self-service bar and an option to order signature drinks and snacks.

Qantas first touched down in South Africa in 1948 with a Lancastrian survey flight from Sydney via Perth, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Mauritius to Johannesburg. The first passenger services commenced along the same route in September 1952 using a Lockheed Constellation L-749A. The journey took 66 hours and became affectionately known as the Wallaby Route – a nod to the Kangaroo Route from Australia to London.

Today, the Flying Kangaroo’s flights are nonstop, with the upgauge heralding the first A380 flight by any airline across the southern Indian Ocean.

The national carrier also intends to relaunch direct flights from Perth to Johannesburg from mid-2025, subject to meeting border agency requirements.

More African destinations

The significant increase in capacity comes as Qantas announces a new codeshare partnership with Johannesburg-based carrier Airlink, substantially expanding its network into South Africa.

Qantas will add the QF code on Airlink’s domestic network, enabling seamless connectivity between Qantas flights to Johannesburg and nine South African destinations, including Cape Town, Durban and Hoedspruit. The carrier hopes to add additional Airlink destinations in nearby southern African countries over the coming months, pending regulatory approval.

By codesharing with Airlink, Qantas Frequent Flyers can earn Qantas Points and Status Credits, as well as pay for flights using Points Plus Pay.

Fares on the new A380 flights are available now at qantas.com and via travel agents. Codeshare connections on Airlink are available today for travel starting in late October 2024. All Qantas international fares include a checked baggage allowance, food and beverages, and inflight entertainment as standard with every booking.

Flight times 

Sydney to Johannesburg: 14 hours and 40 minutes. Johannesburg to Sydney: 11 hours and 55 minutes.
Qantas has eight active A380s of a fleet of 10, with the remaining two returning to service over the next 18 months.
In addition to Johannesburg, Qantas flies its A380s to Los Angeles, Singapore and London.

SINGAPORE, 1 October 2024: Korean Air is expanding flights to popular Southeast Asian destinations, including Bali, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, to meet the growing demand during the upcoming winter season.

Starting from 20 October, Korean Air will increase flights on the Seoul Incheon-Bali route to twice daily service, up from the current 11 weekly flights. 

The airline will deploy a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner for the winter schedule until 27 March 2025.

The airline will also double frequencies to twice daily on its Seoul Incheon-Nha Trang route from 27 October and Seoul Incheon-Phu Quoc route from 15 December.

In addition to Southeast Asia, Korean Air will increase frequencies on key North American and European routes. Starting 27 October, flights on the Seoul Incheon-Las Vegas route will increase to daily from five weekly flights. The Seoul Incheon-Vancouver route will increase to 11 weekly flights, followed by a twice-daily service starting 1 December. The airline will also increase its Seoul Incheon-Madrid service to four weekly flights, up from three, with departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

In Asia, the airline plans to enhance schedules on its Kagoshima and Taichung routes, increasing frequencies to a daily service throughout the winter season. Currently, the Seoul Incheon-Kagoshima route is served by three to five weekly flights, while the Seoul Incheon-Taichung route operates four times a week.

Korean Air’s international network capacity for the winter season is expected to reach 100% of pre-pandemic levels. The airline remains committed to adjusting schedules based on seasonal factors and market demand to provide passengers with optimized services.