Qantas today announced the addition of San Francisco to its international network starting from March 29, 2006. Qantas Airways Senior Executive Vice President, The Americas and Pacific, Wally R. Mariani, said the new San Francisco services would take the total number of Qantas round trip services to Australia to a record 42 flights per week. “The new services link the Sister Cities of San Francisco and Sydney and also provide direct business links from the San Francisco region,” explained Mariani. “Qantas will initially offer three non-stop weekly services on the San Francisco-Sydney route, operating three-class Boeing 747-400 aircraft, with launch fares starting at $798 round trip,” he added.
Mr. Mariani said the three-class Boeing 747-400 aircraft would all be fitted with Qantas’ award-winning Business Class sleeper seat, Skybed, as well as the latest entertainment options, including personal seat back video screens in all classes of service. The timings of the services would ensure good connections from major North American cities.
“Qantas will also introduce its own services between Vancouver, Canada, and Sydney, Australia via San Francisco during the peak travel seasons. From June 2006, this will enable passengers to enjoy Qantas services either between Vancouver and San Francisco round trip, or onwards to Sydney.
“We initially expect to introduce the Vancouver extensions during the peak travel periods, including the North American ski season and summer cruise season. This is the first step to reestablishing year round services to Canada,” he said.
Qantas Airways Vice President Sales and Marketing Howard Goldberg said Qantas and Tourism Australia would conduct a major marketing campaign to support the new route and would continue to look at ways they could develop tourism opportunities between North America and Australia.
With the addition of San Francisco and Vancouver, Qantas will provide passengers with unparalleled access to 50 domestic Australian cities and onward to Jakarta, Bali, Mumbai and Johannesburg.
Qantas flights to Sydney will depart from San Francisco at 11:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays arriving in Sydney at 6:35 a.m. plus two. Return flights will depart Sydney at 1:25 p.m. and arrive at 9:45 a.m. the same day.
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