Excitement Builds at Qantas

Qantas has revealed that it is planning to base four of its new Boeing 787-9s in Brisbane, saying this will create up to 470 jobs as well as opening new international route opportunities.

The Australian flag carrier has eight Dreamliners on order, with the first four going to its hub in Melbourne from late October.  The jet will operate on domestic sectors for six weeks while undergoing crew training and familiarisation before its first scheduled intercontinental service between Melbourne and Los Angeles takes off on December 15.  The first aircraft to be based in Brisbane will arrive in mid-2018 with the final three following before the end of the year.

Alan Joyce, Qantas Group CEO, remarked: “Queensland is the birthplace of Qantas and it is only fitting that we will base four of our new Dreamliners in the state.  We believe the aircraft offers a step change for customers in terms of comfort and efficiency and we are pleased Queenslanders will be able to experience them direct from Brisbane.”

Joyce added that the 787-9s will take on the routes previously flown by the carrier’s 747s as well as new destinations from Brisbane.  The Dreamliner has the range to fly non-stop from Brisbane to Seattle, Chicago and San Francisco in the US, Vancouver in Canada as well as cities across Asia.  Qantas says new routes will be announced at a later date.