Qantas announces new codeshare with Air France

Qantas said today it would expand its European operations from 31 October by introducing daily codeshare services with Air France to Paris via Singapore and increasing services to London from 21 to 27 per week.

The Executive General Manager of Qantas Airlines, John Borghetti, said Qantas was very pleased to enter its first codeshare relationship with Air France.

"Qantas is restricted to operating only three flights to Paris a week under the bilateral agreement between Australia and France," Mr Borghetti said.

"This limited schedule has made it difficult to achieve profitability on the route and the losses we are incurring are simply not sustainable.

"The new relationship with Air France will allow us to offer daily codeshare services from Australia to Paris and therefore greater choice and flexibility for both business and leisure customers.

"Qantas Frequent Flyer members will be able to earn points on all codeshare flights to Paris, including the new Air France flights."

Mr Borghetti said customers would fly on Qantas services between Australia and Singapore and then connect to Air France flights between Singapore and Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport. 

The Qantas Group will operate 52 services each week between Australia and Singapore - 45 Qantas flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin and seven Australian Airlines flights from Cairns and Sydney to Singapore.

Mr Borghetti said Qantas would also, subject to approval by the International Air Services Commission, increase services to London from 21 to 27 per week with three new Perth-Singapore-London flights and three new Sydney-Hong Kong-London services.

"These additional services will utilise new landing and take-off slots at Heathrow that we purchased earlier this year," Mr Borghetti said.

"Under the new schedule, Qantas will operate 17 services to London via Singapore, seven via Bangkok and three via Hong Kong.

"Together with the new services to Mumbai and Shanghai that will begin later this year, Qantas is growing its international operations."

Mr Borghetti said Qantas would continue to operate daily flights to Frankfurt via Singapore.