After years of planning and delays due to Covid, Qantas has today confirmed it will finally launch direct flights from Australia’s east coast to New York, London and other destinations from 2025.

These ultra-long haul flights will be operated by 12 brand Airbus A350-1000s specifically configured for the marathon journeys. Deliveries will begin in 2025 and complete by 2028.

The aircraft will have the range for direct flights between Australia and any city in the world.

They will carry 238 passengers across four classes (first, business, premium economy, economy), with more than 40 per cent of the cabin dedicated to premium seating.

It’s likely Qantas will update its existing international long-haul economy, premium economy and business class seats, as seen on the Dreamliner and A380 fleets.

The airline has promised 4 inches more legroom in premium economy and 1-2 in economy on the A350s.

A380 economy

A380 premium economy

A380 business class

In first class, Qantas has released renders showing it will install brand new fully enclosed suites with separate chairs and beds. There will be six suites arranged in a 1-1-1 layout.

The aircraft will also sport a ‘wellness’ zone for all passengers to enjoy to break up the long journey.

This will be especially welcomed by passengers in economy and premium economy.

Wellness zone

The first A350 flights will launch from Sydney in late 2025, with Melbourne to follow. It’s likely other destinations will be announced soon, such as Paris.

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Virgin Australia has finally raised the curtain on its much-anticipated, invitation-only Beyond Lounges in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

These secretive sanctuaries are exclusively reserved for corporate partners, select high-status Velocity Frequent Flyer members, and key influencers across the nation.

The relaunch of this elite network of lounges, previously known as ‘The Club’, is an essential perk of the new Virgin Australia Beyond loyalty program, announced last year.

The unveiling of the lounges marks a significant milestone in the airline’s transformation strategy, which has seen numerous customer enhancements since the airline’s relaunch in 2020.

The Beyond program is now the highest tier of loyalty for Virgin Australia customers.

Beyond members can look forward to a range of benefits, including an annual membership with the option to nominate a spouse or partner for the same privileges. Membership is reviewed each year.

Other perks include access to the exclusive Beyond Lounges, a dedicated phone concierge service, four complimentary business class upgrades each year, and a complimentary Velocity Gold membership for the primary member’s executive assistant.

Beyond membership is granted by the CEO and executives of Virgin Australia for the airline’s most loyal guests. Business leaders interested in being invited to join Beyond can speak to their travel manager or Virgin Australia account manager.

Beyond Lounges

Members will find their way into the Beyond Lounges via a discreet, unmarked door, with access granted through a sustainable digital membership card.

The entrances are strategically placed near Virgin Australia’s regular domestic lounges in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

Once you’ve navigated the hidden entrance, you’ll be greeted by a peaceful, welcoming environment, complete with leather-clad walls, oak timber features, plush Chester-style armchairs, and bright greenery.

The space also includes privacy pods, a favourite feature among members, with built-in charging stations and transparent frosted glass for natural light while maintaining discretion.

Shower facilities, towels, and premium bathroom amenities will also be available from July 2022 onwards.

Private offices and boardrooms can be booked by members for use on their travel day.

To accompany the grand opening, Virgin Australia has also launched a new à la carte menu, featuring fresh food options prepared with premium Australian produce.

To top it all off, Beyond members will also have access to a wide range of handpicked beverages, including spirits, Australian wines, cocktails, fresh juices, and more.

In line with the unique Beyond service experience, the airline is committed to providing an atmosphere of tranquillity in the lounges. Boarding announcements will be replaced with personalised invitations from the Beyond Lounge Hosts, who will also recommend meals from the all-day à la carte menu based on the duration of the members’ pre-flight visit.

Since its relaunch in 2020, Virgin Australia has refocused on its core customers, including value-conscious corporate and small to medium-sized business travellers and premium leisure travellers. The airline has significantly increased its share of the domestic market in Australia and aims to maintain its market share at 33% over time.

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Winter is coming, and what better way to embrace the chill than to plan a delightful getaway?

This year, folks from Albury-Wodonga will have a new, direct link to South Australia, thanks to Qantas’ latest seasonal route connecting Albury and Adelaide.

Kicking off from the 8th of July and running until the 25th of September 2022, the national carrier has announced it will operate two weekly return flights between the two cities. The flights will be run on their 50-seat Q300 aircraft.

This new service will be the only direct connection between South Australia and Albury. It’s set to save travellers more than three hours on a return flight compared to alternative flight options via Sydney or Melbourne.

This new route is a boon for South Australians, offering a gateway to their nearest snowfields – Falls Creek and Hotham in Victoria – just in time for the ski season. So, if you’ve been itching to hit the slopes, this new route might just be your ticket.

This addition means Albury will now have direct connections to four capital cities with Qantas – Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and now Adelaide. It’s the first time in the airline’s history, making Albury one of the most connected regional centres.

And the good news doesn’t stop there. Qantas is also planning to up their game on the Albury-Brisbane route, increasing return services from 7 to 10 each week. This response comes due to strong demand on the route since Queensland’s border reopened late last year.

To sweeten the deal, Qantas is offering special fares on the new route starting from $179 one-way.

These fares are up for grabs until 22 April 2022, unless sold out before then.

Passengers can also look forward to Qantas’ premium service, with complimentary food and drinks, baggage, and lounge access in Adelaide before they fly out.

And don’t worry about lugging your ski gear around – ski and snowboard equipment can be included within the checked baggage allowance.

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Qantas and Jetstar will be launching new direct routes to India and Korea later this year, fueling New South Wales’ post-COVID tourism recovery.

Sydney to Bengaluru

Starting from the 14th of September, Qantas will be operating four weekly return flights from Sydney to Bengaluru, previously known as Bangalore.

With these flights, Qantas will become the first airline to offer non-stop flights between Australia and southern India.

The introduction of these flights will shave nearly three hours off the current quickest travel time from Sydney to Bengaluru.

The city of Bengaluru, a burgeoning technology and financial hub, hosts a population of 13 million people with strong ties to Australia, which are likely to strengthen further given the recent Australia-India free trade agreement.

Qantas will operate four weekly return flights from Sydney to Bengaluru (formerly known as Bangalore) from 14 September, using its widebody Airbus A330 aircraft.

These will be the first non-stop flights between Australia and southern India by any airline and will cut almost three hours off the current fastest travel time from Sydney to Bengaluru, a growing technology and financial services hub.

Meanwhile, Qantas is set to continue offering up to five flights a week between Melbourne and Delhi, positioning itself as the only airline providing direct flights between Australia and both northern and southern India.

New codeshare agreement

In a positive development, Qantas is planning a codeshare agreement with IndiGo, India’s largest domestic carrier.

This agreement will open up one-stop access to more than 50 Indian cities for Qantas customers.

Qantas Frequent Flyers will also reap the benefits, with the opportunity to earn and redeem points on connecting IndiGo flights.

Additional perks for tiered members will include priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, and priority baggage.

Jetstar customers will also get in on the action, with the ability to book connecting flights on IndiGo services via the Jetstar Connect platform from late April.

South Korea

As for South Korea, both Qantas and Jetstar are set to launch direct flights to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport later this year.

Jetstar is slated to become the only low-cost carrier to fly direct to South Korea from Sydney, with services commencing from the 2nd of November.

Qantas will also return to Seoul with direct flights from Sydney beginning on the 10th of December, marking the first Qantas scheduled service to Seoul since January 2008.

These new direct services reflect the growing popularity of South Korea as a destination among Australians and the consistent ranking of Australia as a top desired destination for South Korean travellers.

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Virgin Australia continues to reposition itself as a ‘mid-market’ airline with today’s announcement that it has slashed its regular ‘non-sale’ business class fares by up to 60 per cent.

Virgin Australia one-way business class fares are now available from as low as $299. These fares continue to include all the ‘bells and whistles’ travellers expect, including:

• lounge access (in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Canberra and Perth)
• priority check-in and boarding
• higher checked baggage allowances
• plated meals and beverages including beer, wine and spirits
• priority baggage delivery
• higher Velocity Points and Status Credits earn, and more.

Virgin operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet with two rows of business class seats at the front in a 2-2 layout.

Here are the new one-way base rates across the country:

• Melbourne <> Sydney $299
• Sydney <> Brisbane $299
• Melbourne <>Brisbane $299
• Hobart <> Sydney $309
• Brisbane <> Cairns $309
• Brisbane <> Canberra $309
• Melbourne <> Gold Coast $299
• Gold Coast <> Canberra $309
• Sydney <> Gold Coast $299
• Adelaide <> Hobart $309
• Adelaide <> Brisbane $359
• Adelaide <> Gold Coast $359
• Melbourne <> Sunshine Coast $359
• Sydney <> Hamilton Island $409
• Cairns <> Perth $409
• Perth <> Broome $409
• Hobart <> Brisbane $459
• Adelaide <> Perth $459
• Sydney <> Cairns $459
• Brisbane <> Darwin $559
• Melbourne <> Cairns $609
• Brisbane <> Perth $1059
• Melbourne <> Perth $1159
• Sydney <> Perth $1209

It’s great to see Virgin Australia introduce such a competitive offering into the market, heaping pressure on Qantas and Rex to up their game.

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