Qantas: Axing Sydney-Beijing flights in March 2020

Quoting Tino La Spina, CEO of Qantas’ International division, ET is reporting that the national carrier will drop the direct Sydney Beijing flights as of March 2020. Qantas only re-started flying to Beijing in 2017, after it suspended the route in 2009, so it looks like it was unable to develop a successful route there.

Who are you gonna call?

Qantas customers will now be directed to codeshare flights operated by Skyteam member China Eastern if they want to head directly to the Chinese capital.

Status and Points

You can still earn Qantas status credits and Frequent Flyer Points if you travel on a Qantas codeshare flight number, although travelling on China Eastern metal. The earn rate will be the same as if you were on Qantas metal. If you are on an MU flight number – no status credits!

You can also book these flights with Qantas points.

One-Stop flights

You still have a lot of possibilities here – on Qantas via Shanghai is the obvious one, as Qantas is preserving this route. That’s the way I went to Beijing way back in 2009 – with a short flight up to Beijing on China Eastern.

If you want to stay with Oneworld, then the obvious option is via Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific. Might be a good option at the moment in terms of cost. The troubles there seem to have placed downward pressure on flights and hotel prices – although I am not sure I would want to stay there at the moment.

2PAXfly Takeout

The dropping of any direct flight is always disappointing. However, the slight inconvenience of an extra domestic hop on China Eastern to get from Shanghai to Beijing, is probably what I would prefer to do, rather than travel directly on China Eastern.

Much as I criticise Qantas, I am still a sucker for that Australian informal but professional service, over the service levels of China Eastern.