QANTAS: Perth to Paris direct in 2024?

With Perth Airport and the Qantas Group having apparently reached agreement on amalgamating international operations at Airport Central, comes the titillating prospect of direct flights out of Perth, to Paris.

Qantas plans for more direct flights

Qantas has long talked about, I mean, pre-pandemic, plans to expand its international network out of Perth. It’s been touting Paris, Jakarta and Johannesburg.

Sounds easy? Well, not really. For a start it would need to have the aircraft and staff to do it. These are no longer givens in this post-COVID aeronautical world.

Secondly, it would need to sort out resourcing at Perth Airport. Qantas currently runs its international operations out of Terminal 3. It will continue this until at least 2030 when it is slated to align them with other airlines international operations out of Airport Central. So the challenge will be to convince the airport and the Department of Home Affairs to provide more security and immigration and customs services out of Terminal 3.

It was thought that Qantas could not introduce these new services, while it continued its international operations split from all other international airlines flying out of Perth’s T1. In fact it reportedly cancelled plans for direct Jakarta flights earlier due to an inability to successfully negotiate additional security, immigration and customs services at Terminal 3.

For the efficient airport operations it makes sense to consolidate them in one terminal servicing international flights. I presume that Qantas will need to pony up for the cost of its separate international operations of customs, security and immigration. Or maybe the airport will cover these as part of the agreement for Qantas to move to T1 in 2030?

More direct flights before Project Sunrise

It’s interesting that Qantas is planning more direct flights out of Perth. How is this going to work with Project Sunrise? That innovation plans for pioneering direct flights out of the East Coast using A350-1000 starting in 2025? ET is reporting Qantas plans to introduce the direct services prior to Project Sunrise. That’s despite the resourcing issues at Perth T3

2PAXfly Takeout

Confusion, not to mention inconvenience looks like it will get worse at Perth Airport before it gets better. Once Qantas moves to Airport Central with a new terminal, it will mean all domestic and international operations will be concentrated in one place. Qantas regional flights may be allocated a separate terminal.

Currently, with operations out of three terminals, Qantas passengers transferring to flights on other airlines have to endure a 15 minute shuttle bus trip, or pay out for a AU$ 40+ uber or taxi fare. It won’t be any better if you decide to catch the new train line, which only stops at Terminal 1

Bring on those direct flights to destinations like Paris Jakarta and Johannesburg!