Qantas Makes Airbus A380 History

Qantas has made Airbus A380 history by operating the first commercial flight between Australia and South Africa.

The route between Sydney and Johannesburg will add an extra 130,000 seats per year.

Furthermore, service will see the reintroduction of First Class for customers, who will also be able to experience double the number of Premium Economy seats.

The A380 is expected to fly six times per week between Sydney and Johannesburg, and strong demand has already been seen.

Qantas Loves The A380

Qantas configures its Airbus A380s to seat almost 500 passengers and has been a strong supporter of the aircraft even at low points of the industry such as the global pandemic.

The Australian flag carrier has eight active Airbus A380s and two units in storage.

While two units remain parked, Qantas has committed to returning these aircraft to service.

The two aircraft are expected to re-enter operations over the next 18 months, bringing the fleet back to 10 units, thus boosting capacity across key markets.

Nowadays, the Airbus A380 in flying kangaroo colours can be found in markets such as Singapore, London, and Los Angeles.

The aircraft has proven to be hugely important for the Australian flag carrier’s international network as it looks to manage strong demand.

A Historic Moment

Thanks to the commencement of the A380 flight between the two locations, this is the only Airbus A380 flight crossing the Southern Indian Ocean.

Furthermore, Qantas says that customers can see Antarctica if a clear day presents itself while flying.

Qantas’ commitment to South Africa will extend from mid-2025 when the service relaunch between Perth and Johannesburg is slated to occur.

While this is still subject to meeting border agency requirements, the route will be pivotal to meeting the growing demand for travel between the two locations.

Moreover, developing a new codeshare agreement with Airlink, a Johannesburg-based carrier, will expand connectivity across South Africa.

Qantas says it’ll add its QF code to the domestic network, covering nine destinations, from Durban to Cape Town, among many others.

This codeshare will also mean greater access to the region for travellers from Australia and nearby markets.