In response to Australia’s reopening its borders after one of the lengthiest closures,  flag carrier Qantas has certainly been taking the reopening as more than just an opportunity to take the iconic kangaroo to international skies again, but also as an opportunity to try out new ideas.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said in a press release, “After the restrictions of the past few years, it’s the ideal time to reinvigorate our international network and we’ll continue to look for new opportunities.”

Although Qantas has been working hard on strengthening its cargo capacity while reinforcing its regional brand, the flag carrier also did not forget about its international network as well —making an exciting return to continental Europe.

Reigniting Service To Rome

Beginning June 22 through to October 6, Qantas will be returning to Italy with a direct seasonal service scheduled three-times-weekly via Sydney-Perth-Rome.

Operating under the flight number QF5, it will depart from Sydney at 17:55 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays for a short stopover in Perth, before arriving in Rome the next day at 08:45.

The returning QF6 departs Rome at 10:50 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays for a similar stopover in Perth, before arriving back in Sydney at 16:05 the following day.

This new service is routed in such a way to reduce more than three hours off the current fastest travel time to Rome and will be utilizing the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner — one of Qantas’ long-haul specialists — that is configured with the Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy class cabins for a total of 236 passengers.

Strengthening Ties With Italy

While this route is a new addition to Qantas’ international network,  the airline once flew this route almost two decades ago until it was stopped in 2003.

Prior to this announcement, Qantas was only serving a singular European destination in London, which meant that its passengers would have to go through connecting flights either in Dubai or Singapore if they wanted to fly towards other parts of Europe.

It would definitely make sense for Qantas to reignite its services to Rome, as Joyce added, “Italy is the largest market for us in continental Europe for people visiting family and friends from Australia and we think customers will love flying direct to one of the world’s great cities to spend time with loved ones or enjoy Italy.”

The service to Rome will also provide opportunities for Qantas’ passengers to connect through onward destinations across the Mediterranean and southern Europe through Qantas’ network of partners.

Perth Is Back In Action

Besides providing a huge win for both Qantas and its passengers, the Rome service will also prove to be of huge help to Perth, Australia, which has since lost its stopover status to Darwin for Qantas’ London route.

Perth, Australia’s airport has not been considerably well, as the statistics show international numbers have declined over 95 percent since the start of the pandemic.

Thus,  the new route is expected to attract more visitors to Western Australia, as Qantas partners with Tourism Western Australia to further boost inbound tourism from Europe into Perth, and to also promote Perth as an ideal stopover for Australians traveling to Europe from the east coast — all of which will hopefully help put Perth back into proper action.

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Charlotte Seet

Fascinated by aircraft from a very young age, Charlotte’s dream was to work alongside the big birds one day. Pursuing her dream, she went on to achieve her diploma in Aviation Management and is currently working on her degree in Aviation Business in Administration with a minor in Air Traffic Management. When she’s not busy with school assignments, you can find her aircraft spotting for long hours at the airport. In Charlotte’s heart, the Queen of the Skies will always be her favorite aircraft.

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