Qantas Launches World’s Longest A380 Route

Qantas has launched Airbus A380 flights between Dallas/Fort Worth and Sydney.

The introduction of non-stop A380 services from Dallas/Fort Worth direct to Sydney means travellers can now choose A380 services from two US hubs, Dallas/Fort Worth or Los Angeles.

Qantas Executive Manager International Sales Stephen Thompson said the introduction of the A380 on the DFW-Sydney route would lead to greater opportunities for both tourism and for trade.

“We’ve already carried more than 300,000 passengers on the Dallas/Fort Worth route and we’re confident the introduction of the A380 will attract more travellers and introduce more Americans to Sydney and Australia,” said Mr Thompson. “The new service will mean an additional seat capacity of more than 10% each week and we will continue to work with our partners to boost visitor numbers from this important market.”

The Qantas Airbus A380 aircraft is configured in a three-class cabin layout accommodating 14 first class seats, 64 in business, 35 in premium economy and 371 in economy.

By utilizing the A380’s range capabilities in replacing Qantas’ 747s between Sydney and Dallas/Fort Worth, the airline is now able to serve this route non-stop in both directions – while the 747 required a stopover in Brisbane on the return flight because of headwinds.

“With the A380’s unmatched cabin comfort, Qantas now offers all its passengers a best-in-class experience on this ultra-long range route,” said Thomas Burger, the A380 Product Marketing Director at Airbus. “This includes its luxurious first class cabin, which was not offered on its 747s previously serving the route. Economy passengers enjoy seats with widths of more than 18 inches, which is Airbus’ benchmark standard and a key differentiator of our cabins.”

Qantas’ non-stop Sydney-Dallas/Fort Worth service covers more distance than the previous longest-range A380 route: the Dubai-Los Angeles flight performed by Emirates, which has a trip length of 13,420 km.

Qantas will operate the A380 service six times per week (every day except Tuesdays).