Qantas to upgauge services as Emirates pulls A380 from SYD-AKL.
Emirates will suspend its Airbus A380 flights between Sydney and Auckland from 13 Jul, prompting partner carrier Qantas to introduce twice-daily A330 services on the route to maintain capacity.
Qantas says it will also upgauge some existing Boeing 737 flights to A330 where there is demand.
Emirates flights EK418 and EK419 between Sydney and Auckland will cease under the new timetable, with the airline’s divisional vice president for Australasia Barry Brown confirming the A380 aircraft would instead remain on the ground in Sydney.
“The Tasman is a dynamic market and we saw the need to optimise capacity on this route in line with changes in demand,” he said.
“Our partner Qantas was well positioned to service this route based on current demand and we’re pleased to have the flexibility to work with them to offer a service with an aircraft that is more in line with capacity needs.”
The changes mean Qantas’ upgraded, two-class wide-body A330-200 aircraft – including a 28-seat Business cabin – will operate as regular services on the trans-Tasman flights for the first time.
Qantas says the new services will be timed to offer seamless connections for New Zealanders travelling via Sydney to destinations in Asia, the United States and South Africa, and that there will be an overall higher frequency of Qantas flights on the route.
See more in tomorrow’s Travel Daily.