With demand for international travel to and from Australia on the up, Qantas Airways has had a reshuffle of its international network, with several key routes affected. One that stands out the most is Australia’s only non-stop link to France, with the Perth to Paris route set to be shelved in favor of a one-stop itinerary via Singapore.

Qantas launched its service to Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) in 2024, just in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Since then, the route has operated up to three times a week. Its new detour via Singapore Changi Airport(SIN) will see the overall frequency of Qantas services to Paris increase to five, while also boosting non-stop flights between Perth and Singapore.

Au Revoir To Non-Stop Flights From Perth To Paris

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Until now, Qantas has operated its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the non-stop route to Paris, alongside its non-stop service to London, and seasonal service to Rome. However, following ongoing tension in the Middle East, Qantas has been forced to re-route its popular Perth to London Heathrow Airport(LHR) service via Singapore.

While the airline will be sad to bid farewell to Paris nonstop, it will likely only be temporarily, as the aviation industry goes through yet another chapter of challenging conditions. The upside is that the service to Paris, via Singapore, will increase from three times weekly to five weekly, providing more choice across the network, and opening up more opportunities for Qantas to ferry passengers via Singapore from its various Australian hubs.

As a result of this change, the airline has noted that it will increase narrow-body aircraft deployment on domestic transcontinental Australian routes. This will allow it to utilize its widebodies on more lucrative international journeys.

Now One-Stop Via Singapore

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The decision to shift aircraft for better optimization across its domestic and international network comes at a time when the airline is boasting strong international passenger numbers. For now, the alternative route via Singapore will provide the ability to carry more than 60 additional passengers per flight due to fewer weight restrictions.

For Qantas, the route to Paris will now also temporarily be suspended from originating in Perth, opting for the airline’s largest gateway at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), with a stop in Singapore, while an additional three weekly international services will be added from Perth to Paris, to feed into the airline’s wider Singapore international network.

An upside to these changes is the airline’s decision to also increase its summer seasonal service from Perth to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). The airline will relaunch the service to Rome this summer, and will go from four weekly to daily. At this stage, the route is set to be nonstop, which is likely to come under intense scrutiny while the situation in the Middle East continues to evolve.

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Other Qantas Route Developments

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To further support the airline’s international operations, Qantas will remove the Airbus A330 from domestic routes between Sydney and Melbourne to Perth. The widebody is being relocated to Brisbane to operate the carrier’s non-stop link to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Currently, the 787 serves BNE to LAX, enabling passengers the opportunity to enjoy Qantas Business, Premium, and economy class seating options. With the change from the 787 to A330, this will now mean premium economy is not available on the route to the City of Angels, unless travelers opt to transit via Sydney or Melbourne, where the route is offered onboard either the 787 or Airbus A380.

For those heading to Europe, Qantas’ extensive network of international flights from Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney will all feed into the carrier’s Singapore to Europe services. Meanwhile, its low-cost carrier Jetstar Airways will also expand its reach with additional flights operating from Denpasar, Melbourne, and Perth. A direct link from the Sunshine Coast and Newcastle is also set to take off this week, marking history as JetStar launches these routes.