Qantas announced it has resumed flying to New York for the first time in more than three years. Flights will initially operate three days per week with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, increasing to four in October. Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the airline was thrilled to be returning Australians to New York. The launch of the route has been made possible by the delivery of new 787 aircraft in recent weeks and brings the airline closer to returning its international capacity to what it was before COVID.
The Qantas Group is expected to return to around 100 percent of its international network pre-COVID capacity by March 2024, up from around 85 percent of pre-COVID levels today. Qantas has seen a significant increase in the number of flights from the United States to Australia, with 11 daily flights across the Tasman from Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne.
Qantas now operates three of the top five longest flights in the world, including Perth-London and Dallas-Melbourne, and its Perth-London service has the highest customer satisfaction rating. Qantas is also investing in a $100 million overhaul of its Auckland International Lounge, offering more space and featuring the best local design, food, and wine.