Qantas Airways just announced that its DFW to Sydney service will be served with the Airbus A380 superjumbo aircraft starting September 29. The upgrade to the Qantas A380 will mean that the longest scheduled commercial flight in the world will now be served by the largest passenger jet in the world.
“The announcement of Qantas Airways A380 service to DFW is outstanding news for our Airport and the Dallas/Fort Worth region, because it adds more seats to what has become a very popular and important route,” said Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW International Airport. “With $2.9 billion in annual trade between Texas and Australia, the Qantas service has allowed for many new business, trade and tourism connections with the Dallas/Fort Worth region. On the tourism side, since the route began three years ago more than 50,000 Australians a year are now visiting Dallas and Fort Worth and that number is growing. The great success of the flight is reflected in Qantas’s decision to place an A380 on the DFW to Sydney route.”
“Dallas/Fort Worth has become an important gateway for Qantas customers since we started flying there in 2011,” said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce. “Dallas/Fort Worth is home to oneworld partner American Airlines and is conveniently located less than four hours from every major US city including Orlando, Boston, Houston and LaGuardia, making it a perfect hub for our customers to Australia.”
“The A380 offers private First Class suites on the route for the first time, lie-flat Skybeds in Business, an exclusive Premium Economy cabin and our most spacious and comfortable International Economy seat yet,” added Mr. Joyce.
Given the additional range of the A380, the Qantas DFW to Australia service will now operate direct to Sydney rather than via Brisbane. The new A380 service will operate six flights per week between Dallas/Fort Worth and Sydney (every day except Tuesdays), representing a net increase of seats on the route by 10 percent per week.
The Qantas announcement means DFW will host A380 flights from two carriers, the other being Emirates Airline, starting in the fall. Those aircraft will utilize two gates, D15 and D16, and will be served utilizing three passenger jet bridges.
DFW Airport is currently finalizing preparations for the arrival of the A380 with the construction of a second level jet bridge in Terminal D and modifications to the airfield, ramps and taxiways. Terminal D opened in 2005 with A380 capabilities already built into its design, so the final additions to make DFW ready for the A380 are relatively minor.
