Qantas has unveiled a series of updates to its Asia network, including the suspension of the Sydney-Shanghai route and the launch of a new Brisbane-Manila service, as well as increased frequencies to Singapore and India.
Suspension of Sydney-Shanghai Flights
Starting 28 July 2024, Qantas will suspend its Sydney-Shanghai flights due to ongoing low demand. Despite resuming the service in October last year after a COVID-19 pause, the anticipated recovery in passenger numbers has not materialized. The airline will continue to monitor the Australia-China market and may reinstate the route once demand improves.
Customers affected by this suspension will be contacted and offered a full refund or assistance in rebooking on alternative flights. Qantas will redirect the aircraft used for the Sydney-Shanghai route to other Asian destinations with higher demand and emerging tourism opportunities.
New Route: Brisbane to Manila
Qantas is set to launch a new international route from Brisbane to Manila, starting 28 October 2024. The new service will operate four days a week using Airbus A330 aircraft, marking the airline’s return to this route after more than a decade. This addition complements Qantas’ existing daily service from Sydney to Manila and will provide an additional 100,000 seats annually between Australia and the Philippines.
Increased Services to Singapore and India
In response to growing demand, Qantas will increase its flights to Singapore by approximately 10%, adding more than 2,500 seats per week. The Sydney to Singapore route will see an increase from 14 to 17 return flights per week starting 11 December 2024. Similarly, Brisbane to Singapore flights will rise from seven to nine return flights per week from 27 October 2024, optimizing connectivity with Qantas’ daily service from Singapore to London and reducing travel time to Heathrow by around four hours.
Additionally, the Sydney to Bengaluru route will expand from five weekly flights to daily services between mid-December 2024 and late March 2025, adding over 12,000 seats during the peak holiday season.
Tickets for these additional flights are now available for sale through qantas.com and travel agents, while bookings for the new Brisbane-Manila route will open in the coming days.