Qantas plots direct Dreamliner flights to London

DIRECT Qantas flights from Australia to London could help save the flagship route, which is under threat from intense competition and “extremely low airfares”.

Addressing the Qantas AGM in Sydney yesterday, CEO Alan Joyce spoke of the challenges they faced on the “Kangaroo Route”.

Although he refused to say if London flights were losing money for Qantas, Mr Joyce did reveal their axed service to Frankfurt had been losing $70 million a year.

He said the delivery of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners (pictured) would give Qantas many more options.

“London is a challenge because you have over 30 carriers operating and we have extremely low airfares,” he said.

“That’s why we’re considering a Perth to London (service). It would be the first time Australia was directly connected to London.”

Qantas is in the process of developing a new lounge at Heathrow Airport, in an indication of their commitment to London. Mr Joyce said he was also considering Sydney-Chicago and Melbourne-Dallas when the 787-9s came into operation in just over a year.

“The Dreamliner represents a new era and possibil- ities for Qantas,” he said.

“(But) we still need to operate in markets that have a high business content, and are where the corporate market wants to go as well as tourists.”

Qantas in 2015/16 recorded its biggest profit of $1.53 billion and paid its first dividend to shareholders in seven years.